'Nothing lasts forever': last shift for Molycop bar mill workers after decades

This week, bar mill staff clocked off for the final time.

"It's a sad day, but it's all part of life," Paul Johnson told the Newcastle Herald.

"Nothing lasts forever."

Mr Johnson has worked in the industry for more than 33 years, the last 15 at the Waratah site's bar mill.

He has decided to retire and spend his time fishing after Molycop announced in September it would cease steel-making operations at Waratah, slashing 250 jobs right before Christmas.

Mr Johnson said the bar mill had been a significant part of the Waratah plant for a long time.

He said its closure meant Newcastle could no longer be known as the 'steel city'.

"It's all gone," he said.

He walked out side-by-side with colleagues after his last shift on Thursday.

There were goodbyes and cars honking as former employees drove out of the carpark, off Frith Street, for the last time.

"I had a lot of good memories here, lots of good blokes and good mates ... we were a good crew," Mr Johnson said.

"It just wasn't viable anymore."

He said people from all walks of life were brought together by one common goal - making steel.

David Archer agreed it was a motley crew of workers, and said there would be plenty he'd keep in touch with.

He has been employed at Molycop for almost two decades, and with another five or 10 years of work left in him before retirement, he's now staring down the prospect of finding a new job.

"It's sad," he said.

"I would have retired here ... best job I ever had."

Many of the staff had been long-term, with the most significant the two men could recall being a 44-year stint.

Redundancies were offered, with 250 of 540 jobs cut.

The last bar was rolled at the Waratah mill last week, while Thursday was the last day for bar mill staff.

Since the current mill started in the early 1990s, about six million tonnes of bar have been rolled there.

A presentation and barbecue lunch was held this week to mark the end of an era.

Molycop provides consumables and productivity solutions to the mining industry, and announced its plans earlier this year to restructure its steel-making operations.

Molycop Australasia president Michael Parker said at the time it was a difficult decision but one they believed would best position the company for success in the long term.

He said the decision would align the Waratah business model with Molycop's other operations around the globe.

Another round of steel-making workers will leave the plant for the final time early next year.