Today marks the end at one of the biggest steelworks in the world as the last blast furnace at Port Talbot in Wales shuts down, leaving it unable to make its own steel.
Nearly 2,000 jobs will be lost at Tata Steel UK's Port Talbot plant as blast furnace number four ceases production meaning it will no longer be able to make virgin steel.
The ironworks will enter a transition phase until 2027 when steelmaking will resume through a £1.25 billion electric arc furnace.
The new furnace uses electric current to melt scrap steel or iron to produce steel, whereas blast furnaces use coke, a carbon-intensive fuel made from coal to produce steel.
Moving to electric arc steel production will reduce the UK's overall Co2 emissions by around 1.5%.
In its heyday during the 1960s, more than 18,000 people were employed at Port Talbot's Abbey steelworks.
But the site has gone through many periods of change, which has sometimes resulted in strikes and job cuts.
Indian conglomerate Tata purchased the steelworks in 2007.
Dean Cartwright, the works manager for coke, sinter and iron, said local residents will see larger plumes as steam coming from the furnace as production is wound down, as well as prolonged "whooshing" sounds.
"We have started to change the burden - the raw materials we put in the top of the furnace - to make sure the slag formed on top of the iron is the right type for this process, and reducing the amount of coal we inject into the furnace," he said.
"Over the next four days, we will stop adding new raw materials and bring the burden down to low levels within the furnace," he said.
"Please remember that we have our experts monitoring every single aspect of this process as it progresses, to ensure we bring the furnace to a close safely and calmly," he added.
As the second of its two blast furnaces ceases production, businesses in the supply chain impacted by the closure can seek funding to overcome short-term challenges.
They can apply to the supply chain transition flexible fund, which is part of an overall £80m package provided by the UK Government.
The fund will be delivered through a partnership between Neath Port Talbot Council and the Welsh Government's Business Wales.
Earlier this month, the UK Government announced a £500m package to help the Port Talbot plant transition to greener, low carbon steel production.
It has also improved the redundancy package on offer to workers - with full-time staff getting a minimum of £15,000, plus a £5,000 retention payment and paid-for training.
Under the deal, the Government can claw back some of the £500m invested if Tata does not fulfil its commitments, which includes retaining 5,000 jobs across its UK businesses post-transformation.
Tata will also be releasing 385 acres of the Port Talbot site for industrial redevelopment.
Around 500 jobs are expected to be created during the construction of the electric arc furnace.
