British Steel has won a significant rail supply contract worth tens of millions of pounds to provide 36,000 tons of rail for a new high-speed electric railway spanning 599 km between Ankara and İzmir in Turkey. 

The deal, backed by UK Export Finance, has allowed the Scunthorpe plant to restart 24/7 rail production for the first time in over a decade and create 23 new jobs.

While this deal offers a commercial boost for the loss-making facility, the long-term viability of the Scunthorpe site remains uncertain due to high operating costs and ongoing structural challenges in the UK steel sector. 

Industry analysts say international contracts are important, but that stronger government support is also needed to address issues like energy costs and import protection.