Astonishing fact

[redsturgeon]

Sometimes you hear something that is totally gobsmacking...today on BBC news I heard that China has produced more steel in the last two years than the total the UK has ever produced in its history! Wow.

John

[didds]

I heard soem 25 years ago that Australia had commissioned a repoort into the environmental effects of closing ALL industry down in Australia.

The report concluded that should that have happened China would have picked up that slack in TEN weeks, starting fro0m scratch to do so.

didds

[Lootman]

Sometimes you hear something that is totally gobsmacking...today on BBC news I heard that China has produced more steel in the last two years than the total the UK has ever produced in its history! Wow.

Amongst all these cries to bail out British Steel or nationalise it, I hope we let it fail if it is not viable. There are other "old" sectors we have let die in the UK, like coal, shipbuilding and motorbikes, and yet we adjust, move forward and prosper.

Trying to compete with Asia for making steel is futile.

[Dod101]

None of that is surprising. China is a huge country with about 20% of the world's population which is why Xi Jinping can be so unfazed by Trump's noises off. It has the second largest economy in the world after the US and catching up fast. Australia is relatively nowhere.

Dod

[didds]

Australia is relatively nowhere.

Dod

which I think was really the real resulkt of that report

what it did eman was closing all of australia's inductry down for environmental reasons would possibly end up with china picking it all up and Aus would have no influence over any environmental impact then

didds

[zico]

I hope we let farming fail, it is not viable and the government gives huge subsidies to farmers. But of course, farming is different to every other industry - in a way I haven't worked out yet. Apparently in the ever of a future war, we need to produce our own food, but importing steel would be no problem.

[UncleEbenezer]

I heard soem 25 years ago that Australia had commissioned a repoort into the environmental effects of closing ALL industry down in Australia.

Well, I wonder what the remit for such a report could possibly be? Sir Humphrey would've known how to commission it. Or going back further, Mandy Rice Davies could've told you the outcome.

The report concluded that should that have happened China would have picked up that slack in TEN weeks, starting fro0m scratch to do so.

didds

Whatever that may mean.

A lot has changed in 25 years, both good and bad.

[BobbyD]

Sometimes you hear something that is totally gobsmacking...today on BBC news I heard that China has produced more steel in the last two years than the total the UK has ever produced in its history! Wow.

John

Put your socks back on.

Between 2011-13 China poured more concrete than the USA did during the entire 20th century. By almost 50%.

It is currently responsible for about 60% of world concrete usage,

[didds]

[
A lot has changed in 25 years, both good and bad.

The point being the gobsmacking fact in the OP is nothing new - that is all.

didds

[bungeejumper]

I hope we let farming fail, it is not viable and the government gives huge subsidies to farmers. But of course, farming is different to every other industry - in a way I haven't worked out yet. Apparently in the ever of a future war, we need to produce our own food, but importing steel would be no problem.

I suspect that, in the event of a trade blockade (or natural disaster, or war), we'd feel the pinch from a lack of foodstuffs somewhat sooner than the lack of steel.

What was that old quote about how mankind is only ever nine meals away from anarchy?

BJ

[UncleIan]

What was that old quote about how mankind is only ever nine meals away from anarchy?

Nine? If I don't get my elevenses there'll be trouble!

[Gaggsy]

Where are all these statistics coming from? ..sorry … "Facts".
And who compiles these reports? How are they measured?

One thing I do know for a fact: 86.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

[StepOne]

Sometimes you hear something that is totally gobsmacking...today on BBC news I heard that China has produced more steel in the last two years than the total the UK has ever produced in its history! Wow.

Amongst all these cries to bail out British Steel or nationalise it, I hope we let it fail if it is not viable. There are other "old" sectors we have let die in the UK, like coal, shipbuilding and motorbikes, and yet we adjust, move forward and prosper.

Trying to compete with Asia for making steel is futile.

German steel production seems to be managing just fine

https://tradingeconomics.com/germany/steel-production

So why can't it be viable in the UK?

[gryffron]

Apparently in the eve[nt] of a future war, we need to produce our own food, but importing steel would be no problem.

Modern warfare between industrialised nations moves pretty fast. I'd doubt we'd have time to even start production of food or munitions before it was over. Let alone tanks or ships. And we have got 40 million civilian cars to melt down

Gryff

[Gaggsy]

And we have got 40 million civilian cars to melt down

Where would we melt them down if all the steel plants have closed?

[kiloran]

And we have got 40 million civilian cars to melt down

Where would we melt them down if all the steel plants have closed?

Send them to China?

--kiloran

[Lootman]

Sometimes you hear something that is totally gobsmacking...today on BBC news I heard that China has produced more steel in the last two years than the total the UK has ever produced in its history! Wow.

Amongst all these cries to bail out British Steel or nationalise it, I hope we let it fail if it is not viable. There are other "old" sectors we have let die in the UK, like coal, shipbuilding and motorbikes, and yet we adjust, move forward and prosper.

Trying to compete with Asia for making steel is futile.

German steel production seems to be managing just fine

https://tradingeconomics.com/germany/steel-production

So why can't it be viable in the UK?

Germany is an industrial nation. Just look at their auto or chemical businesses compared to ours.

The UK has prospered by becoming post-industrial with a greater focus on services and knowledge work. We can't be good at everything and should instead focus on what we are good at, which certainly isn't making stuff, aside from some specialty engineering products and a presence in aerospace.

Scunthorpe will be a great location for call centres and Amazon satisfaction facilities.

[redsturgeon]

Scunthorpe will be a great location for call centres and Amazon satisfaction facilities.

What is an Amazon satisfaction facility?

Heaven forbid Amazon is getting into the sex industry!

John

[Lootman]

Scunthorpe will be a great location for call centres and Amazon satisfaction facilities.

What is an Amazon satisfaction facility?

Heaven forbid Amazon is getting into the sex industry!

That might be the only business sector that Amazon is not a threat to.

But I believe that Amazon refers to its warehouses and delivery operations as "customer satisfaction facilities", from the idea that Amazon "satisfies" orders.

[redsturgeon]

Scunthorpe will be a great location for call centres and Amazon satisfaction facilities.

What is an Amazon satisfaction facility?

Heaven forbid Amazon is getting into the sex industry!

That might be the only business sector that Amazon is not a threat to.

But I believe that Amazon refers to its warehouses and delivery operations as "customer satisfaction facilities", from the idea that Amazon "satisfies" orders.

Aha, "fulfilment"

John