Sellafield Ltd has awarded a £45m ($60.7m) contract to UK fabrication and welding specialist LTi Metaltech to supply products, supporting safe plutonium storage and progress toward long‑term disposal for the Sellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant (SRP) on the Sellafield site.
When operational, SRP will prepare plutonium for long‑term storage ahead of its future immobilisation. The plant will treat existing plutonium stocks and repackage them into durable, modern containers known as “100‑year cans”. This will ensure the material is capable of being transferred to an immobilisation facility where it will be converted into a stable waste form, suitable for consignment to a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is currently developing the specialist capabilities needed to enable the immobilisation process.
However, the SRP facility will be needed initially to ensure the material is stabilised and safely packaged. LTi Metaltech will supply specialist products built to nuclear quality standards, supported by rigorous inspection and full material traceability throughout manufacture.
SRP is one of the largest and most complex projects under way at Sellafield. It is being delivered through Sellafield’s Programme and Project Partners (PPP) model, which brings together KBR, Amentum, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and Altrad Babcock, supported by a wider supply chain. Together, they will deliver a 20‑year programme of major infrastructure projects.
“Sellafield has safely and securely managed plutonium since the 1940s, developing world leading expertise in the process and being recognised as the UK’s centre of excellence for plutonium management, said James Riddick, Sellafield Ltd Chief Supply Chain Officer. “It’s a mission of national significance and requires expertise across a vast supply chain. LTi and Metaltech is now part of this mission and was selected for its robust high-integrity manufacturing approach, specialist capability, and a delivery model aimed at consistent, repeatable supply over the life of the contract.”
Edgar Rayner, LTi Metaltech Managing Director, said the contract is an important milestone for LTi Metaltech. “It strengthens the foundation for significant future growth – including the creation of high-value, high-skill jobs in our local community and, over time, in Cumbria through the development of our first dedicated footprint there. It also accelerates our investment plans: expanding our manufacturing capability, bringing in technology and expertise from across the LTi Group, and introducing new capabilities from outside the Group. This programme allows us to scale in the right way – safely, sustainably and with long-term benefit to the communities we operate in.”
LTi Metaltech has also committed to support local communities. This includes tackling local skills gaps through places at its welding school, partnering with local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on manufacturing and quality initiatives, and establishing a Cumbrian facility for warehousing, assembly, and logistics. The company will also target disadvantaged groups for job opportunities, create new apprenticeships, and support local volunteering.
Gareth Frazer, head of manufacturing and engineering solutions for Sellafield Ltd, said: “This is another step forward for the Sellafield Manufactured Products team as LTi Metaltech is a new addition to our supply chain and this contract is the first to use our new product introduction process. They have demonstrated great capability in the tender process for SRP products and are already making positive moves to support our local supply chain and community.”
Across the contract term, SRP will require multiple product types, with projected demand ranging from approximately 4,500 to 9,500 units, depending on product category. Delivery will be split into two phases: an initial three to four year development phase, followed by a 10-year volume production phase aligned to programme needs.
LTi Metaltech is part of the wider LTi Group, strengthening delivery through additional engineering and technology support from LTi Metalltechnik (Germany) and nuclear experience within the group through LTi Vessco. With more than 20 years of experience as a trusted pressure-vessel manufacturer, the company combines advanced robotic and semi-automated welding with one of the UK’s largest teams of coded welders, operating from its Oxfordshire facility.
