A merger deal between Tata Steel and German firm Thyssenkrupp promises to secure jobs and investment in the UK industry, unions have said.

The "50-50 joint venture", which will create the second biggest steelmaker in Europe, ends years of uncertainty over the future of plants, including Britain's largest works at Port Talbot in South Wales that employs 4,000 people.

Tata says it has made a specific commitment that its ambition is not to have any compulsory redundancies in the UK as a result of the tie-up, which took more than two years to negotiate.

Image: The Tata Steel steel plant at Port Talbot employs 4,000 people

Known as Thyssenkrupp Tata Steel, the merged firm will be based in the Netherlands and will be second only to ArcelorMittal in the European steel industry.

It will have a total workforce of 48,000 employees spread across 34 sites, producing about 21 million tons of steel a year with revenues of around €15bn.


Final signatures on the deal will follow "shortly", while competition authorities in the European Union and other jurisdictions must still give the go-ahead.

Image: The tie-up with German-based ThyssenKrupp ends years of uncertainty

Welcoming the deal, Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union, says there will now be "significant" investment across Tata Steel's UK business.

He added: "With a commitment to avoid compulsory redundancies until October 2026, and the first £200 million of any operating profit being invested back in the business, this joint venture has the potential to safeguards jobs and steel-making for a generation.

"However, this joint venture will only succeed if the necessary strategic investments are made to allow the business to thrive."

Image: The UK steel industry has been through a turbulent time

Ross Murdoch, national officer of the GMB, said: "We will continue to ensure jobs and investment remain the key underpinning priorities within any final joint venture, which must equate to opportunities for our members in the UK, particularly after the difficult and uncertain recent times they have faced."

Tata Steel chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said: "The joint venture will create a strong pan-European steel company that is structurally robust and competitive.

"This is a significant milestone for Tata Steel and we remain fully committed to the long-term interest of the joint venture company."

Dr Heinrich Hiesinger, chief executive of Thyssenkrupp, said: "We will secure jobs and contribute to maintaining value chains in European core industries."

Tata Steel hit the headlines last year when it put its entire UK operations up for sale amid a deteriorating industry environment.

But the Indian-owned firm paused its plans after pledges of government support and an agreement to restructure its hefty pension scheme.

In February, the company's British employees voted to accept proposals to close the existing pension scheme to new contributions, in exchange for greater certainty about the future of its workforce.