Eyes of the world on our Whyalla operations with media coverage
18 March 2024
The spotlight on Whyalla, our LIBERTY Primary Steel Australia (LPMA) operations and the State Government’s new hydrogen facility, continues to shine increasingly brighter.
The Whyalla Steelworks was the scene for two film crews in January as they visited the region on separate filming schedules for the government’s State Prosperity Project. A crew from Showpony Advertising came on-site to film a testimonial with SIMEC Mining Environment Scientist Victoria McCarron while a massive crew of 27 from Stepney Studios set up in steelworks rolling mill and combi caster the next day to shoot a promotional video.
Following a visit by the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas to the Whyalla Steelworks in late February, as part of a three-day public forum on the Eyre Peninsula, the State Prosperity Project was also launched closely followed by an eight-page wraparound in the Adelaide Sunday Mail that featured, prominently, GFG Alliance’s Whyalla operations. These stories were spread in newspapers throughout Australia, further enhancing the focus on GFG Alliance operations in Whyalla.
During Premier’s visit to the steelworks, GFG Alliance signed a landmark agreement with the South Australian Government to explore opportunities for the supply of hydrogen from its 250MW electrolyser in Whyalla to support the transformation to green iron and steel. GFG also entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with global energy company Santos for potential long term natural gas supply to its Whyalla operations and cooperation for decarbonisation.
NATIONWIDE NEWS: Mastheads across the country carried stories on the Whyalla operations.
Victoria’s video testimonial is now part of a series from a wide range of people from the Upper Spencer Gulf where they talk about the opportunities and positive outcomes the State Prosperity Project is bringing our communities, regions and our broader State. Benefits of living in the Upper Spencer Gulf and Whyalla were discussed along with the hydrogen plan, green energy and what it means to them and the region.
The focus is squarely on Whyalla with these plans and our transformation towards GREENSTEEL, GREENIRON and our Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30) ambition … this is very exciting for everyone involved.
LIBERTY Primary Steel Managing Director, Tony Swiericzuk
The Stepney Studios crew brought a piece of Hollywood to the steelworks the next day with everything from film directors, a boom camera on rails and its own catering division that looked after the crew and 10 volunteer extras from our LIBERTY Primary Steel and SIMEC Mining operations.
Our volunteer extras were the “talent” for a series of still photographs in the combi caster and an elaborate film shoot in the rolling mill.
LIBERTY Primary Steel Managing Director, Tony Swiericzuk said it was exciting times for the region with these productions showing that the hydrogen facility is moving forward with even more attention being paid to Whyalla and the role the steelworks and mining operations could play in the State Prosperity Project.
“It shows that things are really starting to move in line with the State Government’s commitment to build a $A593m hydrogen facility on our doorstep,” Tony said.
“The focus is squarely on Whyalla with these plans and our transformation towards GREENSTEEL, GREENIRON and our Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30) ambition … this is very exciting for everyone involved.
“A big thank you to all those that made this filming and media coverage possible including the admin staff that moved mountains to get 27 crew members on site, to the extras who starred in these videos to do Whyalla and our operations proud.”
The State Prosperity video/advert is running on free-to-air television stations in South Australia and also features, along with the testimonials, on the State Prosperity Project website.
Main image: SIMEC Mining environment scientist Victoria McCarron records her testimonial for the State Prosperity Project.
Watch the videos featuring our Whyalla operations
See the eight-page feature on the State Prosperity Project
Read more about Whyalla’s transformation
