The future of the steel company Tata Steel in the Netherlands takes a new direction with the announcement that it will continue independently. The news comes hours after reaching an agreement last Thursday, September 30, after becoming independent from Tata Steel Europe.
Tata Steel has around 9,000 employees in the Netherlands and produces more than seven million tonnes of steel annually, which is used in the automotive and packaging industries as well as in construction. In addition, according to the FNV, the country’s largest federation, there are about 3,000 companies that depend on the company’s steel, Tata Steel is one of the largest Dutch employers. According to the trade unions, some 44,000 direct and indirect jobs depend on its activity.
According to the company “the split comes at a historic moment, after 22 years of working with British colleagues”. Tata Steel Netherlands also recently announced the choice of the hydrogen route as part of its sustainability strategy. The direction for the future is therefore clear: environmentally friendly steel in a clean living environment. In a few years, IJmuiden will have a substantially different and more sustainable steel company.
In the new structure there will no longer be a Tata Steel Europe operating organisation and Tata Steel Netherlands and Tata Steel UK will operate side by side as two independent companies. Mutual coordination will continue to take place for a small number of activities, for example, to serve joint clients. “Nothing will change for customers of Tata Steel Netherlands,” the company says.
From now on, the Board of Directors of Tata Steel Netherlands will have full responsibility for the activities of Tata Steel Netherlands, under the supervision of the Supervisory Board of Tata Steel Netherlands. The Board of Directors of Tata Steel Netherlands, now consisting of Hans van den Berg and Co van Dort, has been enlarged by Tom Eussen. He is responsible for the Downstream Business.
