A STEEL company employing hundreds of North-East workers has made a senior appointment as it seeks to nurture its fledgling operations.

British Steel has welcomed Roland Junck as executive chairman.

Bosses say Mr Junck will help strengthen the business, which last month took on Tata Steel’s Long Products division for £1.

Mr Junck, a former zinc company boss, was also the first chief executive at steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, and has been advising British Steel officials over the last few weeks.

He said: “I’ve visited many of our sites and been impressed by the drive and determination of our employees as they continue to take the business forward.

“Everyone is aware of the challenges the steel industry faces but British Steel has a strong business plan and I look forward to guiding the firm to more success.”

Bosses added once they appoint a permanent chief executive, Mr Junck will continue as non-executive chairman.

Last week, British Steel revealed it was helping build Scunthorpe United’s new stadium.

The company will roll steel for the 12,000-seat venue in its Teesside Beam Mill, at Lackenby, near Redcar.

British Steel is owned by investor Greybull Capital and employs nearly 900 people across the North-East and York.

Upon announcing its Tata deal, Greybull, founded by brothers Nathaniel and Marc Meyohas, vowed to provide a £400m package to fund day-to-day work and deliver long-term sustainability for the business, which includes a special profiles factory, in Skinningrove, east Cleveland.

The firm also took on a Darlington steel finishing site, a York design base and a distribution hub in Blaydon, Tyneside, in its takeover.

Bosses previously announced a five-year deal with Teesside’s Materials Processing Institute to strengthen research and development on rail and construction goods.

Meanwhile, new Business Secretary, Greg Clark, today (Wednesday, July 20) met workers and union officials at Tata's Port Talbot works in Wales. 

Tata has halted plans to sell the site and is working on keeping its UK business as part of a joint venture with ThyssenKrupp.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary at the Community union, said: "The new Secretary of State clearly understands the scale of the challenge still facing the industry, but his words to steelworkers must be followed by firm actions to help save their jobs.

"By visiting Port Talbot, he will have seen first-hand that the highly-skilled workforce is the foundation on which any success for this industry will be built.

“We welcome the renewed desire to put industrial strategy at the heart of government and I was pleased Mr Clark signalled his intention to involve trade unions in that important process.”