SNP MSP Clare Adamson, whose family grew up around the steelworks, gave new owners Liberty House a traditional Scottish good luck message “lang may yer lum reek” at the historical re-opening of the Motherwell plant.

She recalled how the skyline around her home was dominated by the former Ravenscraig steelworks in Motherwell, which was once known as Steelopolis, until it closed down in 1992, signalling the end of large scale steel-making in Scotland with the loss of 770 jobs, and another 10,000 jobs linked to the industry.


‘A great day for Dalzell and a great day for Scottish steel’ - Sturgeon hails the reopening of Motherwell plant


Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, said: “I grew up in this area, my grandfather came to work here in the 1920s, it is absolutely wonderful to hear the noise of the plant working again. We were asked to give them a good luck message and the one I gave was “lang may yer lum reek”, a good Scottish message, that’s what we want to see, the furnaces here working for the future.

“It gives me a fantastic feeling being here at the re-opening. It is very emotional. Our whole town revolves around the steel industry, even the football club is called the Steelmen. Steelmaking is just so synonymous with this area and now we have a real chance of a bright future in jobs and apprenticeships, it is wonderful to see that happening.

“We used to see the sky lighting up from Ravenscraig steelworks and I remember how much the area was different in those days. The communities were thriving with good jobs and nearly 10,000 workplaces supported so it was devastating when Ravenscraig went and in a lot of ways it hasn’t recovered from that, but today is a marker for going forward and building on the successes that are possible in the future.

“It is so vital for our manufacturing in the future that we have that capability in Scotland. It would have been absolutely devastating if that had been the end of steel in Scotland.

“It is great to see everybody coming together with the taskforce and our business minister Fergus Ewing in particular working so hard to make this happen today.

Adamson was a member of the steel taskforce along with SNP MP Marion Fellows who has also fought tirelessly to help save the industry in Motherwell.

At the Dalzell re-opening, Fellows said: “I was very proud to be a member of the Scottish steel taskforce which has saved this plant and Clydebridge. The hard work of everyone concerned has paid off today. It has been a really uplifting day for the whole area to see that Liberty has turned the place around.”

Ross Clark, Community union senior shop steward for Dalzell and Clydebridge, who has returned to work for Liberty after Tata closed down, said: “Up until today the workers have been very apprehensive and went through loads of ups and downs but now I think seeing the phoenix rising from the ashes has given them great optimism for the future of the industry.”


CASE STUDY 1: Electrician returns at age of 72 to train a new generation

GRANDFATHER Tom Brookbanks, 72, from Motherwell, started working back at the Dalzell plant three months ago as an electrician. He helps to train apprentices he insists are the future of Scottish steel.

Brookbanks worked at Ravenscraig steelworks for 26 years before it was closed down. After various other jobs, he retired at 65, then returned to the steel industry to work for Tata until the plant closed its doors last December.

He said: “I started back at Dalzell about three months ago. I started at Ravenscraig when I was 21 and came back to work for Tata for five years before I was made redundant in December. Then I got the opportunity to come back again three months ago and I jumped at the chance because it is absolutely a great place to work.

“It is also a great opportunity for apprentices because they can learn all the skills that they need and afterwards they can go anywhere in the world with the training they get in here.”

“I would say to young folk to come and work here. I think the future is looking great because of Liberty. They’ve got the commitment, the ideas and the money. I’ve been told I’ve got a job here as long as I am fit enough.”


CASE STUDY 2: Father-of-two hopes sons will keep family tradition going

FATHER-OF-TWO Andrew Crawford was one of the key workers kept on by the Scottish steel taskforce as it fought to save the industry when Tata closed its doors on the two mothballed plants last December.

Business Minister Fergus Ewing, chairman of the taskforce, announced a £195,000 support package to retain key staff at the Dalzell and Clydebridge steel plants who were paid 60 per cent of their gross salary and received training to ensure the plants could open quickly when production resumed.

Crawford, 47, from Wishaw, has worked in the steel industry for 27 years in the shearing process where he is team leader of marking and stamping to identify the steel plates.

His father, Henry, who died aged 73, four years ago, worked at the Dalzell plant for 35 years and he is keen for his own sons, aged 14 and 12, to follow in their footsteps.

Crawford said: “I finished up with Tata at the end of January and was contacted the next month to come back, which gave us hope that all was not lost.

“We heard rumours that Liberty might take us over and it eventually came out about April time and we were delighted.

“ I have two boys and I would definitely encourage them into a career in the steel industry because I think it can be great again.”


CASE STUDY 3: Chance to complete training puts dream back on track

APPRENTICE Dale Gordon is back on track with his career in the steel industry after the Dalzell plant officially re-opened yesterday.

The 20-year-old, from Motherwell, is a fourth-year electrical maintenance apprentice, and feared his dream of following in his father’s footsteps had been shattered when Tata closed down. Initially forced to change his career path, he was delighted when he was invited in for an interview and got an apprenticeship back at Dalzell with Liberty House.

Gordon said: “I went to work for a company in Glasgow and then

I was asked if I wanted to come back. Last year wasn’t great but Liberty has the right kind of management plan to take the company forward in ways Tata couldn’t. They have approached it with the right attitude.

“I would definitely encourage other young people to get involved in the steel industry. It’s great they have already taken on new apprentices. It shows the commitment from Liberty. The future is looking good and it is a great job.

“My dad worked here before me. A lot of family members have worked here and it’s the same for many of the other guys. It is a real family business.”