Blast Furnace 6 Reline

This project is obviously important to the health and stability of Australia's economy. Without this blast furnace Australia becomes more reliant on foreign powers to supply a basic and ubiquitous component (steel) to our domestic manufacturing and construction industries. In a world with increasing geopolitical and economic tensions it would be prudent to ensure long term and ongoing domestic steel manufacturing capability. BlueScope's climate action plan is also sound and clearly outlines a path to net zero by 2050. We Australians should be proud of our steel industry and what lies ahead for it - including the advancements in technology that will no doubt follow as a consequence of ensuring domestic steel manufacturing.

i believe in the future of innovative and long term steelmaking and hope to see the futureproofing of manufacturing in the Illawarra area as a result of this project . Iam long term Steelworks employee and am Proud to work for Bluescope …I value the contributions my employer makes financially and to the community. I validate and support the proposal put forward because i believe in it . Thanks for reading my comments

I support the steel making facility at Port Kembla NSW over the long term. It is the major manufacturing plant in Australia for steel production. It supports over 10000 jobs in the community.

It is extremely important that Australia retain its capability and capacity to make steel domestically. This project will ensure continued capacity to do this. Steel is the back bone of an advanced economy. In these uncertain times, Australia must be making as many things as possible in this country

This project will ensure ample future employment in the region as well as a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions once the change over between blast furnaces 5/6 is completed. Aside from sustaining thousands of jobs the project will also create hundreds of jobs in the local area and provide a much needed boost to the local economy.

It’s a fantastic project bring it on

This project is of great benefit to the local and state community, will boost jobs for local manufacturers and provide massive support for the Australian economy.

It is a significant project for Illawarra in terms of direct and indirect employment for the local community and local businesses.

The project will ensure the future of the steel works in the Illawarra.
This will ensure tens of thousands of jobs in the area for the long term future.
The project will also implement environmental initiatives in regards to the operation of #6 blast furnace.

The reline of the No.6 Blast Furnace at PKSW is an essential project to ensure the continuation of steelmaking in the Illawarra region. The PKSW directly and indirectly provides around 10,000 jobs for the people of Illawarra, Sydney and Shoalhaven regions, and actively supports hundreds of young workers in training for their trade certificates, diplomas and degrees across a vast range of occupations. The project will provides hundreds of jobs in engineering, design, construction and administration. The No.6 Blast Furnace reline project provides BlueScope an opportunity to research, design and implement green technologies and work towards the most sustainable practices for the future of steelmaking.

This project is critical for continuation of steel manufacture in Australia which supports thousands of jobs in the Illawarra region and supplies steel products to Australian and overseas building projects. With increasing reliance on green energy and sustainability in the recycling of existing steel products the relined Blast Furnace will be important in supporting future green energy production of wind turbines and the continuation of the recycling of existing steel waste. The development of greener technologies means that the reline will bring the blast furnace into the new era of greener more sustainable steel products which are still needed in the production of many products.
With the recent bushfires contributing to the shortage of timber used in the building and construction industry has meant that steel frames and roof trusses have become more mainstream and more in demand and is also termite proof and resistant to fire.
Local manufacturing and industry also relies heavily on the continued supply of Australian made steel products and the global COVID crisis has also meant that the cost of imports of steel products has increased significantly and delivery times have also incresaed significantly due to increases in transport costs and delays in delivery due to COVID measures by governments around the world and interstate.
No5 Blast furnace is coming to the end of its life and is also therefore reliant on the successful reline of No.6 Blast Furnace.
Thank you.

I am working in the Illawara region for last one and a half year. More projects in big companies like bluescope has a significant role in shaping a new communities in Wollongong area. This is a billion dollar project with potential of creating new jobs within bluescope, local contractors and suppliers. Just as the inception of the steel works created a community in Wollongong, big projects like the blast furnace reline expands and enhance the existing community.
The project also invests more than 100 million dollars on environmental improvement upgrades. Advanced technology projects like blast furnace reline improves overall efficiency of steel making. With the increasing demand for Australian made products, I think projects like this are significant to achieve our national goals.
In these unprecedented times, Australia has a requirement to enhance defense force. Steel is the primary raw material for most of defense equipment and Bluescope is the largest steel producer in the country. I support the the No.6 Blast Furnace Reline Project and hope our Illawara community can enjoy the benefits this project is going to create.

6BF Reline is critical in ensuring the continuation of steelmaking in the Illawarra, which in turn is critical in ensuring the continuation of local manufacturing. PKSW are a major employer in the region. PKSW aim to limit negative impact on surrounding environments and there are significant environmental improvements included in 6BF reline project.

This will sustain gainful future employment for the Illawarra.
Sustain steel demand for the Country. ie. Housing and Construction.
Secure the future of the company and employees.

Fantastic project for the region, will promote growth, employment for many years to come

I support the project because
-it creates valuable & necessary work
-the environmental improvements are likely to make the operation of the steelworks even cleaner
-Australia needs to be self sufficient in steel and the many other industries that it supports. We should aim to make as much in Australia as possible, and even export more value added products made from Australian steel

Australia needs to take all reasonable measures to support what’s left of its manufacturing sector. Steel making is fundamental to Australia’s economic security and invaluable in providing high technology careers.

I support this project which will provide employment during the reline process as well as ensure long term viability of the steelworks and ongoing employment of local Illawarra residents.

I am highly supportive of the proposal for the following reasons:

The project involves works to rejuvenate a large and bespoke piece of infrastructure which is the only steelworks of this nature in NSW and one of only two within Australia. Without the continued provision of operational blast furnace infrastructure provided by the project, there is a risk that steel making will be unable to continue at PKSW from as early as 2026 and consequently that no primary steel making will occur in NSW from that time. Steel made at the PKSW is used throughout Australia for a range of infrastructure and construction projects both large and small as well as being exported to key overseas markets.

The project has an estimated capital investment value of about $700 - 800 million. The proposed approach of carrying out the project over a construction period of approximately three years, rather than the usual shorter timeframe for a reline (typically only 130 days), will provide the opportunity for BlueScope to prioritise engagement of local contractors and other NSW businesses.

The project is considered to be essential to NSW for the following economic and social reasons:
 The project will secure continued operation of the PKSW, the largest manufacturing facility in NSW and Australia, ensuring the continued manufacturing of flat steel products in NSW and supply of approximately 2.2 million tonnes of these products used in a range of infrastructure and construction activities of key importance to the NSW economy including:
– Defence.
– Infrastructure projects such as road and rail projects.
– Building and construction, including hospitals, schools, stadiums, residential homes, commercial and industrial buildings.
– Energy infrastructure, including wind towers, solar farms, electricity transmission infrastructure and pumped hydro.

 The continued operation of the PKSW beyond 2026 will enable the continued significant contribution which PKSW makes to the Illawarra economy, which is currently about $6.5 billion or 24 per cent of regional output per annum.
 The continued operation of PKSW beyond 2026 will facilitate the retention of approximately 4,500 jobs at the site itself (both BlueScope employees and full-time contractors on the site) and support in the order of 10,000 highly skilled jobs in total in the region.

Supporting new jobs internal and external