The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, visited Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant in South Wales on Tuesday (February 4).
The Tata Group said Kate and William were shown around the integrated steel-making site (UK's largest) and explained about the importance of Tata Steel’s operations to the UK economy and the role it played in community development.
The royal couple visited training workshops, where they met apprentices, future leaders and members of community groups supported by Tata Steel.
Kate and William, who wore protective gear such as hard-hats, goggles and jackets, were also shown the Hot Strip Mill at the Port Talbot site to see how Tata Steel transforms red-hot steel slabs into steel strips, which are further processed for commercial use around the globe.
“The site and its people are truly at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing industry, with steel made in Port Talbot being used across the world to make cars, cans, buildings, bridges, and sports stadia,” said hub director Martin Brunnock.
“The Port Talbot site has been producing steel for well over a hundred years, currently producing more than 3.5 million tonnes of steel a year, and we are aiming to ensure this continues as we give our apprentices and graduates the skills they need to become the steelmakers of the future,” he said.
The Port Talbot plant, which employs about 4,000 people, has earlier hosted other royal figures, including Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
