BRITISH STEEL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22316, 29 April 1947, Page 5

BRITISH STEEL

OUTPUT MOUNTS DETERRENT FACTORS SHORTAGES OF COAL (11 a.m.) LONDON, April, 28. Sir Archibald Forbes, chairman of the Iron and Steel Board which was ap pointed in September 1946 to supervise the industry's modernisation and current operations and advise on price policy, told a press conference at which he reviewed progress, that if the fuel crisis had not occurred British steel production in 1947 would have achieved an all-time record The production in 1946 was about 12,750,000 ingot tons and would have been higher had full fuel and transport requirements been available. The demand, as far as could be assessed, was for 15,000,000 tons. It had been hoped to make good the difference by imports, mainly from America, but it had proved impossible to obtain deliveries from all overseas sources of more than about 400,000 tons. The actual production in 1947 to the end of March was 2,800,000 tons, equivalent to the rate of 11,500,000 tons annually. Sir Archibald Forbes added that though the situation was improving coal supplies were still below full requirements and until the level of fuel supplies to be made available to the industry for the rest of the year is known, it is impossible to forecast the 1947 steel production.