Secretary of State for Defence visits Sheffield Forgemasters

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP visited Sheffield Forgemasters to look at the pace of investment as the company drives forward with a £1.3 billion recapitalisation plan and delivers the first of 150 gun-barrels destined for Ukraine.

The Minister was joined on a tour of the facilities by Professor Dame Hilary Chapman - HM Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Abbie Miladinovic - South Yorkshire Mayor Combined Authority, Clive Betts - MP, Fran Belbin - Sheffield Council Leader, and Giles Ambrose - BAE Systems Engineering, Technology & Strategy Director.

The delegation was escorted by Gary Nutter, Sheffield Forgemasters’ CEO and saw how the first gun barrels forgings pledged by the UK Government for Ukraine are being produced, they also met skilled workers at the plant and saw progress at the company’s vast, 30,000 sq m machine shop.

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP said: “The barrels produced here in South Yorkshire – the first made in Britain in almost two decades – will help Ukraine on the battlefield, while creating good, skilled jobs in the UK.

“Our Defence Investment Plan backed by £298 billion is delivering greater national security for our nation and our allies, and opportunities for people across the UK."

The first of 150 British-made artillery barrels are being delivered under a £61 million contract between UK Government and BAE Systems, who Sheffield Forgemasters will supply into.

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP’s visit to the company is his first as a Minister, having previously toured the facilities as Mayor of South Yorkshire Sheffield City Region and provided his first look at the company’s construction of a New Machine Shop and 13,000 tonne Forge.

Gary Nutter, Chief Executive at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “We were honoured to show the defence minister and other notable delegates around our site to demonstrate the delivery of gun barrels and to showcase the impressive facilities we are building under our recapitalisation plan.

“The project to deliver a new heavy forging line and a state-of-the-art machining hall will provide secure jobs for decades to come and creates a manufacturing facility that places the UK at the forefront of large-scale manufacture of forgings and castings.”

Sheffield Forgemasters manufactures specialist steel forgings and castings used in critical defence programmes and employs 780 skilled staff. The company’s new forging line and machining hall will underpin supply for UK defence programmes and are due to come on-line in 2028.