In a statement, British Steel said the company has worked with officials from government and others across the industry to  secure a stable supply of raw materials to both its blast furnaces for the short term.

“This means the previously planned ‘salamander tap’ of one blast furnace, Queen Bess, will no longer go ahead,” the company said. 

The ending of layoff negotiations follows passage of the U.K.’s Steel Special Measures Act on 12 April, which allowed the government to take control of British Steel. The government seized the business after British Steel’s former owner, China’s Jingye Group proposed closing British Steel’s two blast furnaces and potentially laying off up to 2,700 workers. The closure would have ended Britain’s ability to produce steel from scratch, according to The Guardian newspaper. 

“Since the government passed its legislation, we have been working day and night to ensure we are able to stabilize our operations. The work done to secure the raw materials we need for both Queen Anne and Queen Bess blast furnaces means we are able to run both continuously,” said Lisa Coulson, British Steel’s interim chief commercial officer said:

“We would like to thank our trade union partners for their professionalism and the support of their members over recent days and weeks.”