2 min read - 18 Feb, 2026
British Steel starts 24/7 rail operations after securing new deal
British Steel has secured a new order worth tens of millions of pounds for a major high-speed electric railway in Turkey.
The eight-figure agreement, supported by UK Export Finance, will see British Steel supply 36,000 tonnes of rail to ERG International Group, which will help create a 599km line between Ankara and İzmir, significantly reducing carbon emissions by cutting rail travel time between the Turkish capital and port city.
The contract has created 23 new roles and seen the business start 24/7 rail manufacturing operations for the first time in over a decade. The agreement is for British Steel’s 60E2 rail, which will be delivered throughout 2026 in 36 metre lengths.
The new high-speed line will revolutionise transport in Turkey, reducing rail travel time between Ankara and İzmir by more than 10 hours. Not only will this provide passengers and freight operators with a faster rail service, but it will also significantly reduce emissions by providing a lower carbon alternative to current transport options.
British Steel has begun 24/7 rail manufacturing operations for the first time in over a decade after securing a major contract with Turkey / Picture: British Steel
British Steel chief commercial officer, Lisa Coulson, said: “Securing this prestigious contract – with the support of UK Export Finance – was a major achievement and underlines British Steel’s ability to build the sustainable track systems of the future. It also demonstrates the importance of British Steel, the UK’s only manufacturer of rail, to this country’s economy and Britain’s global trading partners.”
British Steel’s commercial director for rail, Craig Harvey, added: “We have a distinguished record of supplying into high-speed rail projects across the world and have previously delivered rail into Turkey through ERG for earlier phases of the Ankara to Izmir line. For this new agreement, we were again able to comply with the demanding technical specifications and the project delivery schedule which we can support with a robust logistics supply chain. This contract has been the catalyst to us starting 24/7 rail manufacturing operations in Scunthorpe. We are also optimistic we can supply other steel products into this project and are working with ERG to support its future needs.”
British Steel will supply its rails to ERG International Group, which is delivering the project on behalf of Turkey’s government. Once commissioned, the line will be operated by the Turkish State Railways.
Mohamed Ibrahim, chief commercial officer of ERG International UK, said: “We are proud to deepen our collaboration with the UK supply chain. This contract not only strengthens our technical delivery, but also reinforces the strategic cooperation between ERG, British Steel, UKEF and DBT across major international infrastructure projects. This new rail supply agreement follows successful deliveries in 2025 and paves the way for further collaboration between ERG International and British Steel on upcoming projects.”
