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Steel firms Thyssenkrupp and Tata to merge Steel firm Thyssenkrupp backs Tata merger
(about 2 hours later)
Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp have agreed a merger that will create Europe's second-biggest steelmaker, after Arcelor Mittal. German industrial group Thyssenkrupp has approved plans to merge its steel-making business with Tata Steel.
German-owned Thyssenkrupp's supervisory board gave the go-ahead to the joint venture on Friday. The merger would create Europe's second largest steel-maker - after Arcelor Mittal - but the firms have previously warned 4,000 jobs could be lost.
The deal will mean Indian-owned Tata Steel's UK plants are merged into a pan-European venture with annual sales of about £13bn. The firms employ about 48,000 workers, with India's Tata owning UK plants including Port Talbot in south Wales.
These include the UK's biggest steelworks at Port Talbot in Wales. Unions have been asking for safeguards to protect the future of Port Talbot, which employs 4,000 people.
Almost 7,000 people are employed by Tata in Wales, including more than 4,000 in Port Talbot - the largest steel works in the UK. Thyssenkrupp's supervisory board gave the go-ahead to the joint venture on Friday - the two companies have been in negotiations for a year.
The two companies have been in talks over a 50-50 tie-up since 2016. The new firm will have annual sales of about £13bn and the merged group anticipates it will make costs savings of between £350m to £440m a year.
When details of an initial agreement emerged last September both sides said they expected about 4,000 jobs would go as a result of the merger, with half coming from administration and half from production.When details of an initial agreement emerged last September both sides said they expected about 4,000 jobs would go as a result of the merger, with half coming from administration and half from production.
The job losses will be shared evenly between the two companies.The job losses will be shared evenly between the two companies.
In Wales unions hope the deal will bring an end to uncertainty for workers.In Wales unions hope the deal will bring an end to uncertainty for workers.
Overcapacity 'Important milestone'
The merged group anticipates it will make costs savings of between £350m to £440m a year.
Thyssenkrupp chief executive Heinrich Hiesinger has previously said the two companies needed to consolidate and become more efficient because of increasing pressure from imports and an overcapacity within the industry.Thyssenkrupp chief executive Heinrich Hiesinger has previously said the two companies needed to consolidate and become more efficient because of increasing pressure from imports and an overcapacity within the industry.
More recently European steel makers have faced 25% tariffs on their exports to the their biggest market, the US.More recently European steel makers have faced 25% tariffs on their exports to the their biggest market, the US.
"The joint venture with Tata Steel is an important milestone for the transformation of Thyssenkrupp to an industrials and service group and will lead to a significant improvement of the financial figures of Thyssenkrupp," the group said in a statement."The joint venture with Tata Steel is an important milestone for the transformation of Thyssenkrupp to an industrials and service group and will lead to a significant improvement of the financial figures of Thyssenkrupp," the group said in a statement.
It added that the "signing of the definitive agreement is expected shortly" and that the deal would be subject to clearance in several jurisdictions, including the European Union.It added that the "signing of the definitive agreement is expected shortly" and that the deal would be subject to clearance in several jurisdictions, including the European Union.
The new company will be called Thyssenkrupp Tata Steel and be based in the Netherlands.The new company will be called Thyssenkrupp Tata Steel and be based in the Netherlands.