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SSI to restart Teesside blast furnace

SSI UK have finalised plans to restart the blast furnace at its Teesside plant over the weekend, in preparation for the restart of iron and steel making in the area.

It is anticipated that the first iron suitable for conversion into Steel will be produced within two or three days of the furnace restart, and will be the first batch to be produced since operations mothballed in February 2010.

Phil Dryden Chief Executive of SSI UK said: “I am very pleased that we can now look forward to resuming steelmaking at Teesside after a two year absence.

“This is an historic event and I would like to record my appreciation to all those who have been involved , for their commitment and hard work, on what has been a complex and demanding restart programme.

“We now look forward to creating a successful and sustainable business which will benefit the local community and external stakeholders for generations to come”

Commenting on the announcement, NECC chief executive James Ramsbotham praised the determination of the local community and both the public and private sectors for their work to ensure the reopening of the plant.

He said: “Igniting the blast furnace this weekend to resume steelmaking on Teesside will be an historic and incredibly emotional event, not least for the family and friends of union leader Geoff Waterfield who fought so hard, alongside many other, to secure a future fort his plant and is greatly missed.

“A great deal of credit must go to SSI and Tata, especially Jon Bolton, for securing the deal to re-start work at Redcar. Together with the area’s dedicated workforce I feel sure that this weekend’s blast furnace ignition will be provide a fitting metaphor for a business that is ready to blast-off.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .