Gupta marks one-year after Arrium buyout

Local and international experts are working to transform the Whyalla steelworks into a sustainable business for generations to come, British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta says.

Marking the first anniversary of his company’s takeover of the operations on Friday, Mr Gupta thanked workers for their continued patience, determination and trust as changes in Whyalla begin to take shape.

“As well as lifting the steelworks’ production closer to its design capacity and identifying significant savings for mining, we have also established a world-class transformation team,” he said.

“These local and international experts are immersed in the feasibility phase to determine exactly what this project will look like.

“This work will position the business and city for sustainable success for generations to come.”

Through his family company GFG Alliance, Mr Gupta has pledged to invest $1 billion in the steel operations and a similar amount to develop renewable energy projects in South Australia’s mid-north.

Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer said an extraordinary amount had already been achieved over the past year.

“There’s so much going on behind the scenes and a lot more still to come to enable these operations and this city to once again become a powerhouse,” Ms Breuer said.

“We’re already seeing local confidence improving. Our great city is in the national media spotlight for all the right reasons, and there’s still more exciting news on the horizon as the transformation begins to take shape.”