Latest news with #heavyindustry
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
British manufacturing is dying before our eyes
British industry has hit a new low. Factories consumed the least energy in 50 years in 2024, with the decline almost entirely because of shutdowns and closures. Factory bosses say Britain's sky-high energy costs are crippling heavy industry, forcing businesses to shut down production lines or abandon operations altogether. They blame surging gas prices but also a succession of green levies piled onto bills. The energy consumption slump, spelt out in the latest government statistics, comes just days before the Government is expected to announce its new industrial strategy. Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, is pledging to reverse decades of decline. But the energy consumption data – widely seen as a proxy for the state of British manufacturing, especially the energy-intensive sectors – suggests Reynolds will need some truly radical measures if he is to succeed. Britain has millions of businesses, which all consume energy, but what such data reflects most strongly are the trends within our 'foundational industries' – energy-intensive manufacturing that produces the basic materials other sectors need to function. This includes steel, cement, chemicals, glass, paper and ceramics. Production of all of these materials relies on cheap, plentiful heat. If that heat becomes expensive, those industries die – and that, both the stats and the industries themselves say, is what is happening.
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
China's Air Pollution Problem Is Following Industries West: CREA
China's push to move heavy industry into its western regions is hurting air quality there even as it improves for the nation as a whole, according to a new report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Xinjiang in the northwest surpassed Henan to become the most polluted region in the country during the first quarter, while Guangxi saw its concentration of airborne particulates rise 32% in the period compared with the year before, according to the report. That contrasts with a drop of 5% for the nation overall, driven largely by a reduction in coal power generation.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain can wave goodbye to the last of its heavy industry
The Office for National Statistics has published a brief on the effects of high energy prices on Britain's energy-intensive industries between 2021 and 2025. Though most could already deduce that our sky-high prices were not healthy for the sector, the scale of the industry's decline is stark. Since early 2021, paper and petrochemical production has declined nearly 30 per cent, inorganic non-metallic production (think ceramics and cement) has dropped over 30 per cent, and basic metal and casting production has declined by almost 50 per cent. Overall, energy-intensive manufacturing production in late 2024 was just 66 per cent of what it was at the start of 2021. Heavy manufacturing is not an irrelevant part of the economy. The energy-intensive industry, as defined by those sectors that can apply for energy levy exemptions, has a turnover of £170 billion and employs over 400,000 people, 60 per cent of whom are in the North and Midlands. In most cases, these are among the most well-paid jobs in their region. An average chemical industry worker earns three times the weekly wage of a hospitality worker, twice that of someone in retail, and 130 per cent that of someone in education. British heavy industry is not suffering from a unique problem. European heavy industry is facing enormous stress from high energy prices and competition from China. However, Britain is likely the least competitive industrial base in the developed world. Our electricity prices are 44 per cent higher than those in France and 300 per cent higher than those of the United States. The government takeover of British Steel's blast furnace plant at Scunthorpe, which this author predicted back in December, will likely lead to formal nationalisation. There is a good chance the same fate will befall Sanjeev Gupta's speciality steels furnace in Rotherham. These sites are facing an existential threat following failed negotiations for more handouts. The only reason there is no talk of nationalisation at Tata Steel's Port Talbot furnace is that the government has provided a grant to pay nearly half the cost of installing electric furnaces – £500 million. Sheffield Forgemasters, a speciality maker of high-grade steels for the military and the nuclear industry, was quietly nationalised in 2021. Whether it is official or not, whether it is blast or electric arc furnaces, the British steel sector is dependent on the government. There have been some voices cautioning against nationalisation, arguing that a steel stockpile might be preferable, or that the primary focus should be on rectifying the policy decisions that make Britain such a lousy place for heavy industry. Such observations are valid, and indeed, the government's thinking appears to be disjointed. But letting these plants go to the wall is not the answer. This will likely lead to increased welfare dependency in the affected areas, and decommissioning costs will be high. Should the British steel sector collapse, it is unlikely to return. For an increasingly turbulent world, the government should favour redundancy over short-term efficiency. A side-benefit of nationalisation is that civil servants and policymakers will have to wrestle with the contradictions between economic growth and the prohibitive cost of onerous regulations and Net Zero. In the short term, what can the government do to cauterise heavy industry's bleeding? It can extend exemptions for heavy industry. Current schemes exempt energy-intensive activities from renewable-related levies and capacity market costs while compensating them for network costs. The scheme intends to reduce electricity costs by £30 per megawatt hour. In 2023, such exemptions covered about 10 per cent of industrial electricity demand and cost somewhere around £400 million, paid for by consumers. The problem is that when industrial electricity prices can be as high as £260 per MWh, such exemptions amount to little more than a sticking plaster. The government will be pressured to shift more levies away from producers and onto consumers, likely costing billions of pounds. Meanwhile, our energy strategy is tilting us toward higher electricity prices for the longterm. There is a further complication. While cheap energy is essential to these industries' survival, it may not be sufficient. The US, despite enjoying very cheap energy inputs due to fracking, has seen its industrial production, including steel, decline or flatline since 2008. Such stagnation is due to overcapacity from East Asia, currency manipulation, the dominance of the US dollar, and a host of other issues. For British industry to become self-sustaining, a saner energy strategy needs to be married to serious discussions about addressing our current account deficit. Such a task is a lot to put on the plate of a government that is already struggling for bandwidth.
Globe and Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Zoomlion's Grand Debut at 2025 Changsha International Construction Equipment Exhibition Anchors Strong Momentum of Growth
CHANGSHA, China , May 20, 2025 /CNW/ -- Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zoomlion"; has wrapped up a blockbuster exhibition at the 4 th Changsha International Construction Equipment Exhibition (CICEE 2025) which was held from May 15 to 18 in Changsha, China . At CICEE 2025, Zoomlion showcased over 100 units of advanced equipment from nine major product categories including hoisting, concrete, earthmoving, mining, aerial work, emergency equipment and more as well as groundbreaking solutions, leading the industry to a new peak of high-end, intelligent and green development. Zoomlion Chairman and CEO Zhan Chunxin attended multiple high-level activities during the exhibition and accompanied a delegation of African envoys to China to tour the company's exhibition zone, where he introduced the company's technological breakthroughs in high-end, intelligent, and sustainable development. As the CICEE 2025 opened, Zoomlion celebrated the delivery of three units of the 4,000-ton ZAT40000H, the world's largest tonnage all-terrain crane, which is Zoomlion's record-breaking benchmark creation leading the industry sector into a new era of mega tonnage. It's widely recognized in the market for strong lifting performance, flexible driving and site transfer, convenient and efficient operation, and addressing the exact pain points of wind turbine installation and construction. On May 17 , Zoomlion also unveiled another world record - the world's tallest 216-meter wind energy luffing tower crane LW2800A-200NA, specially developed for ultra-height wind power projects. With outstanding lifting capability, low site requirements, high efficiency, strong wind resistance, and ease of transport and dismantling, the crane is well suited to diverse terrains, including farmlands, hills, swamps, and plateaus. Zoomlion also hosted a new product launch event for its intelligent mining machinery portfolio, revealing 23 models including mining excavators, mining trucks, loaders, bulldozers and crushing and screening equipment as well as 15 premium large-scale, electrified, unmanned mining products, all developed in response to the industry's growing demand for large-scale and high-efficiency mining machinery. Key products include the world's largest 300-ton hybrid electric dump truck, the industry-leading 400-ton super-large mining hydraulic excavator ZE4000G, and the world's first 100-ton mining wide-body dump truck. Zoomlion's equipment is widely used in construction projects worldwide, delivering stable performance and adaptability in challenging environments such as extreme temperatures, strong winds, and marine conditions. Looking ahead, the Company aims to accelerate the development of smarter, greener infrastructure across global markets.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Zoomlion's Grand Debut at 2025 Changsha International Construction Equipment Exhibition Anchors Strong Momentum of Growth
CHANGSHA, China, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ -- Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zoomlion"; has wrapped up a blockbuster exhibition at the 4th Changsha International Construction Equipment Exhibition (CICEE 2025) which was held from May 15 to 18 in Changsha, China. At CICEE 2025, Zoomlion showcased over 100 units of advanced equipment from nine major product categories including hoisting, concrete, earthmoving, mining, aerial work, emergency equipment and more as well as groundbreaking solutions, leading the industry to a new peak of high-end, intelligent and green development. Zoomlion Chairman and CEO Zhan Chunxin attended multiple high-level activities during the exhibition and accompanied a delegation of African envoys to China to tour the company's exhibition zone, where he introduced the company's technological breakthroughs in high-end, intelligent, and sustainable development. As the CICEE 2025 opened, Zoomlion celebrated the delivery of three units of the 4,000-ton ZAT40000H, the world's largest tonnage all-terrain crane, which is Zoomlion's record-breaking benchmark creation leading the industry sector into a new era of mega tonnage. It's widely recognized in the market for strong lifting performance, flexible driving and site transfer, convenient and efficient operation, and addressing the exact pain points of wind turbine installation and construction. On May 17, Zoomlion also unveiled another world record - the world's tallest 216-meter wind energy luffing tower crane LW2800A-200NA, specially developed for ultra-height wind power projects. With outstanding lifting capability, low site requirements, high efficiency, strong wind resistance, and ease of transport and dismantling, the crane is well suited to diverse terrains, including farmlands, hills, swamps, and plateaus. Zoomlion also hosted a new product launch event for its intelligent mining machinery portfolio, revealing 23 models including mining excavators, mining trucks, loaders, bulldozers and crushing and screening equipment as well as 15 premium large-scale, electrified, unmanned mining products, all developed in response to the industry's growing demand for large-scale and high-efficiency mining machinery. Key products include the world's largest 300-ton hybrid electric dump truck, the industry-leading 400-ton super-large mining hydraulic excavator ZE4000G, and the world's first 100-ton mining wide-body dump truck. Zoomlion's equipment is widely used in construction projects worldwide, delivering stable performance and adaptability in challenging environments such as extreme temperatures, strong winds, and marine conditions. Looking ahead, the Company aims to accelerate the development of smarter, greener infrastructure across global markets. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Zoomlion View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
