The University was founded to help meet the needs of industry in a region long famous for its expertise in metals. Swansea University and its partners have played a crucial role over the past 20 years in supporting the steel industry across south Wales. 

Researchers at Swansea believe that steel is a 21st century industry, essential for many of tomorrow’s technologies, and are using steel to develop tomorrow’s technologies, from lighter cars to greener buildings.

  • Engineers are using high-tech imaging equipment to analyse and test a new form of steel which could be used for the chassis of cars and would be lighter than current alternatives, improving efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.
  • Materials science modelling techniques developed at Swansea are making blast furnaces more efficient.  Data has already been produced which has influenced the operation of the furnace at Port Talbot (the steelworks which are visible from Swansea’s Bay Campus) This has cemented Port Talbot's position in the top quartile in the world for efficiency and quality. 
  • SUSTAIN - a new £35 million research network led by Swansea University and partnered with the Universities of Sheffield and Warwick.  Its aim – to bring steelmakers and university experts together on a seven-year research programme to transform the UK steel sector.
  • In 2018, our Steel and Metals Institute (SaMI) was awarded £3 million of funding by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to support its vision of delivering a steel industry for the future.  We are dedicated to providing the next generation of engineers with the skills they need to address industry’s needs.
  • The Rapid Alloy Prototyping EPSRC Prosperity Partnership is a collaborative project bringing together Swansea and Warwick University with Tata Steel, helping to create a vibrant 21st century UK steel manufacturing industry! 

How our research is changing the steel industry

Who we work with

Faculties

Find out more about the research being undertaken at the faculties involved in Steel Innovation

Contact Our Research Team

We work with a range of people and organisations to conduct collaborative research, realise ideas, improve products, and help change the world.

01792 606060 

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21st century steel

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