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Voices of BlueScopeAuthor: BlueScope
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59. Lighting the Furnace with Jerry Platt
Monday, 10 November, 2025
In this episode, Craig Nealon (BlueScope Company Historian) speaks with former iron-maker Jerry Platt, who, in 1996, was recognised for his work with the honour of lighting Port Kembla's then-brand-new No. 6 Blast Furnace for the first time. Although retired, Jerry maintains a keen interest in the industry and now jointly runs a popular Facebook group, Iron & Steel in Australia, which includes numerous historical accounts and images. Sitting together for a conversation in Western Port, Victoria, he reflects with Craig on his own journey to the Port Kembla Steelworks and the various industrial, technological, social and intercultural changes that have occurred over the decades.ChaptersIntroduction: 0:00Becoming a Metallurgist: 2:03Moving from Newcastle to Port Kembla: 6:09Recording History and Remembering Blast Furnaces: 12:36Ladles, Locos and Facebook: 29:27People and Processes: 37:57Conclusion: 42:53LinksRead a transcript of the episode.Browse a Flickr album of photos that show the lighting of No. 6 Blast Furnace, Newcastle Steelworks from above and Craig and Jerry together on the day of the interview.Iron & Steel in Australia group on FacebookFerromanganeseUnited SteelAustralia HouseThe book to which they refer is Ironmaking in Australia 1848–1914 (J.L.N. Southern and J.E.A. Platt, 1986).Staff at the Lithgow Ironworks in 1909History of LysaghtMini millComsteelVideos of Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS), the Hot Strip Mill and the No. 6 Blast Furnace reline project on TVBlueScopeConnect with UsWebsiteLinkedInTVBlueScope on YouTubeCreditsInterview by Craig NealonRecorded and edited by Martin Feld
