Chemical plant starts production after takeover

7 hours ago

Federica Bedendo,North East and Cumbriaand

Mark Denten,in Greatham

Operations have restarted at the former Venator plant in Greatham

Tioxide Materials Limited The titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment production facility at Greatham, in Hartlepool. Two men in high viz jackets and hard hats walk towards industrial buildings. There is a large smoking chimney on the left, with tanks and several sets of external stairs visible on the right. — Operations have restarted at the former Venator plant in Greatham

Streamlined production at a chemical plant has restarted, months after its former owners made hundreds of employees redundant.

The titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment production facility at Greatham, in Hartlepool, has reopened as newly created company, Tioxide Materials Limited.

LB Group, who own the subsidiary, bought the plant from Venator Materials UK after that company went into administration last year with 270 job losses across Venator's Greatham, Wynyard and Birtley sites.

Tioxide said operations were being brought back in phases, with plans to increase production to the site's full capacity by early 2027. Titanium dioxide is a material used in coatings, plastics and inks applications.

Managing director Karen Askwith said: "To restart operations, to restart recruitment and employment for skilled manufacturing people here in Hartlepool, in the North East, it's just a wonderful thing."

She said tears came to her eyes when she saw the smoke rising from the site again as it came back online.

"Titanium dioxide is a white pigment and, to be frank, if you see something white around you it's probably got titanium dioxide in," Askwith said.

"It's in the walls, it's in the white window frames you have in your house, it's in our plastic white hats we have here on site."

Manging Director Karen Askwith said the reopening was a "wonderful thing"

BBC / Mark Denten Karen Askwith is standing in front of a grey industrial building and smiling brightly at the camera. She has long, dark hair and is wearing a black vest. — Manging Director Karen Askwith said the reopening was a "wonderful thing"

Following the job losses last year, 130 people were kept on to "keep the site safe while it was idle".

Seventy positions were announced following LB Group's acquisition of the Greatham site and its associated TiO2 pigment assets in April. Tioxide said it had filled more than 60 of those roles.

The business previously announced another 60 vacancies, and said the site would employ about 300 people when at full operation capacity in 2027.

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