Tata Steel UK and JCB Sign An MoU for the Supply of Low CO2 (‘Green’) Steel

Under the agreement, Tata Steel will supply the British construction equipment manufacturer with green steel from Port Talbot after completing its transformation plans. JCB, which maintains a close focus on carbon reduction in its manufacturing and equipment, will integrate the steel into its machinery range.

This is the first supply agreement Tata Steel UK has made since announcing the £1.25 billion joint investment with the UK Government to transition to high-quality, low-CO2 steel production in South Wales.

The project includes building a new 3-million-tonne per year state-of-the-art electric arc furnace (EAF)—one of the largest in the world—offering a lower-CO2 alternative to the traditional blast furnace method.

A JCB backhoe loader overlooking the Port Talbot steelplant where the new electric arc furnace is to be built.

A JCB backhoe loader standing next to Tata Steel’s Port Talbot Hot Rolling Mill, which will supply the iconic brand with low CO2 ‘green’ steels once the company’s electric arc furnace is commissioned in 2027/28.

The EAF will turn UK-sourced scrap into new high-quality steel, removing the need to ship millions of tonnes of iron ore and coal from across the world. Tata Steel’s plans will cut the site’s CO₂ emissions by up to 90 per cent and UK’s overall carbon emissions by about 1.5 per cent.

Anil Jhanji Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Steel UK said: “One of the key drivers in our transition plans is that our long-standing and loyal customers such as JCB need green steel to meet their own decarbonisation ambitions. They want to be supplied by a trusted partner making quality steel within the UK.

“This announcement that two of the UK’s largest manufacturers are working together to create a low-carbon supply chain is an important step in the UK’s transition to a circular economy.”

Wayne Asprey, Group Purchasing Director, JCB added: “Tata Steel is a long-term supply partner for JCB and this agreement marks an essential next step in our journey towards supply chain decarbonisation. We are fully supportive of Tata Steel UK’s investment proposals and are pleased to be one of the first customers to endorse those plans by making this agreement to secure British-made green steel as soon as it is available.”

JCB has led the way in decarbonisation in its industry, starting with its Road to Zero programme in 2010. It has achieved many industry milestones, such as developing the first-ever electric mini-digger in 2018, creating the first hydrogen-powered machine in 2021 and continuously expanding its range of fully electric-powered equipment. It is currently putting the world's first construction machines powered by hydrogen combustion engines through rigorous testing.

Tata Steel signed a contract in October 2024 with Tenova to deliver a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace and additional advanced steelmaking equipment for its Port Talbot site. The transformation of the site is expected to start in summer 2025.

Tata Steel intends to make Port Talbot one of Europe’s premier centres for green steelmaking. The £1.25 billion investment, which includes a UK Government grant of up to £500 million, is the largest capital expenditure investment in UK steel production for decades. Seventy-five per cent of the raw materials required will be sourced from the UK, up from 10% today, helping to maintain the country’s self-sufficiency in steel and making steel production more resilient to global events.

Japan's JCB Join NPCI to Offer 40% Cashback for RuPay JCB Cardholders for In-Store Purchases* in Australia, Qatar and UAE

• All RuPay JCB Debit & Credit Cardholders will be offered 40% cashback on in-store purchases in Australia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.
• The offer will be valid from October 1 to December 31, 2022.

JCB International Co. Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co. Ltd., Japan’s only international payment brand partners with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to announce the launch of a special cashback offer for all RuPay JCB Debit & Credit Cardholders for a limited time period. In accordance with the offer, customers using a RuPay JCB Card will receive 40% cashback at retail stores in Australia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the offer period. The offer will be valid from October 1 to December 31, 2022. **

The maximum cashback amount per transaction will be ₹3,000, with an overall cap of ₹15,000 per card during the offer period. Detailed T&C can be referred at www.rupay.co.in

Yoshiki Kaneko, President and COO, JCB International Co. Ltd. said, “With the easing of travel restrictions globally, we expect to see a surge in international travel. We are happy to partner with NPCI in launching this promotion and hope our Indian cardholders will enjoy these offers at locations carefully chosen, keeping their preferred travel destinations in mind. With wide acceptance of merchants internationally, the RuPay JCB Debit & Credit cardholders will enjoy a hassle-free and rewarding experience wherever they go”. 

Denny V. Thomas, Head- RuPay, NPCI said, “We are delighted to launch the cashback offer for our RuPay JCB Credit and Debit cardholders. We are anticipating a high traffic from India to these locations and want our cardholders to benefit, when they spend using RuPay JCB Cards. The offer is available on all in-store purchases irrespective of size or category of the merchant. With a wide international acceptance network, we wish to provide more such attractive offers in other geographies also”.

For the promotion details, please visit:
https://www.rupay.co.in/rupay-festive-carnival/rupay-festive-carnival-detail?id=120

* In-store purchase means a face-to-face POS transaction made at a merchant location.

** NPCI reserves the right to change/modify the scheme without recourse to anyone or without any pre-notification.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. JCB issues cards across various countries and regions internationally with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase its merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide.

For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

About NPCI :

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI has created a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as RuPay card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC FasTag) and Bharat BillPay.

NPCI is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through the use of technology and is relentlessly working to transform India into a digital economy. It is facilitating secure payments solutions with nationwide accessibility at minimal cost in furtherance of India’s aspiration to be a fully digital society.

For more information, visit: https://www.npci.org.in/