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Q1 2025 Message From The IRE President Mike Lamkin
Q1 2025 Message From The IRE President Mike Lamkin

As I am sure most of you are aware there was a pivotal moment in the UK steel industry that is also planned and happening in other countries, the UK is ending the production of virgin steel with the closure of the last blast furnace at Port Talbot. The intention is to replace it with an electric arc furnace to reduce CO2 emissions, a timeline of up to three years. Coincidentally this is happening at the same time that the UK’s last coal fired power station ends operation. Clearly this will have a significant impact on the refractories industry in the UK, something that other countries will also be going through.


The planning of IRE’s two conferences (UK and Australasia) is going well with an interesting and varied programme planned. The Australasian conference looks special with a large and detailed program of events – a testament to the hard work of the organising committee. I am sure it will be a great success. Following the success of the previous UK conferences, and in view of some feedback, we have moved to an alternative venue that should be easier for attendees to get to. We hope and expect that this will also be a success and look forward to hearing what our members think.

This conference will also mark the point when the mantle of Vice President moves from Katy Moss to Dominic Oates. Katy has been President or Vice President since 2019, an unusually long term due to several reasons including Covid. She has been instrumental in the necessary changes that have helped turn the institute around. We remain in her debt.

However, continuing the topic of former Presidents, it is also with some sadness that I need to report that Ken Walker, President in the mid 1970s, has sadly passed away at the age of 91. The sympathies of the Institute and thoughts go to his two daughters, Fiona and Heather, and the rest of his family and friends.

Mike Lamkin, President
Institute of Refractories Engineers

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