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Boost – The UK ’ s first lithium refinery is to be built at Teesport .
UK ’ S FIRST LITHIUM REFINERY TO BE BUILT ON TEESSIDE
The UK ’ s first large-scale lithium refinery is to be built on Teesside , boosting the country ’ s electric car supply chain .
Green Lithium confirmed it will build a refinery for the battery material at Teesport , the UK ’ s fifth-largest port , owned and operated by PD Ports .
The creation of the “ substantial facility ” will begin to meet the urgent needs of the battery manufacturing and automotive sectors within the UK and the EU , as the global transition to electric vehicles drives an increasing necessity for lithium processing capabilities on the continent .
The construction of the refinery will help drive the UK ’ s levelling up agenda as well as supporting local and regional development .
Development and construction of the facility will drive significant growth and investment into the area , creating more than 1,000 jobs during the construction phase
Wilton Engineering has secured a strong order book of projects worth a combined £ 20m , on the back of returning the business to profit .
The contract wins , in the energy and defence sectors , together with long-term agreements for use of its facilities on its Haverton Hill Offshore Base , follow the company achieving positive results for its financial year ending June 2022 .
Wilton Engineering , which operates from a 112-acre site on the banks of the River Tees within the Teesside Freeport zone , has seen profits increase in line with the increase in turnover , which has resulted in overhead reduction .
The growth can be attributed to a greater proportion of its work , which involves the design , manufacture , blasting and painting of large modular complex steel structures , being delivered for the offshore oil and gas and UK defence industries .
and 250 full-time , green , local and highlyskilled jobs once in operation .
Construction is expected to take three years and the plant will be commissioned during 2025 .
Green Lithium says it ’ s committed to transforming the refining process , historically a dirty supply chain component , by establishing leading environmental , social and governance credentials and targeting net zero on Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035 , while working with supply chain partners to minimise Scope 3 emissions and reducing its carbon footprint to lower than existing international refineries .
The Teesside refining process will have a carbon footprint 80 per cent lower than traditional processes currently used internationally , with a carbon intensity of only 3.3kg of CO2 emitted per kg of lithium hydroxide produced , compared with the international average of 16.2kg .
£ 20m order book spurs growth as Wilton returns to profit
Future – Chief executive Bill Scott OBE says Wilton Engineering ’ s return to profit is helping the firm invest and plan a more sustainable business .
These contracts , along with the future offshore floating wind projects , provide the foundations for more sustainable business planning and investment .
This has been supported by further diversification within its income streams , utilising the 58 acres of the Haverton Hill Offshore Base it acquired in 2021 , to provide operational bases and storage for a range of companies .
FIRE TRAINING CONTRACT A 10-year deal has been sealed to keep a world-leading fire training centre at Teesside International Airport .
Serco has signed a 10-year lease with the airport – safeguarding more than 50 jobs .
The International Fire Training Centre ( IFTC ) has been based at the airport since 1981 .
Serco ’ s IFTC is a world leader in aviation fire training , providing life-saving guidance and expertise to thousands of firefighters every year .
NORTH SEA DRONE DEAL A Darlington firm has won a major contract to provide underwater intervention drone missions at Norwegian firm Equinor ’ s Johan Sverdrup field .
Modus , a world leader in the application of Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ( AUVs or subsea drones ), was successful after a comprehensive tendering process .
The contract , which will run from 2023 to mid-2024 , is for underwater intervention drone operations for the Johan Sverdrup field in Norway ’ s sector of the North Sea .
STATION REFURB BEGINS The ground has been broken on Darlington railway station ’ s £ 100m-plus transformation as the first buildings are knocked down to make way for the redevelopment .
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen and Cllr Jonathan Dulston , Darlington Council leader and combined authority cabinet lead for transport , were welcomed onsite by Thompsons , the local firm carrying out the demolition .
Work is underway on properties adjacent to Neasham Road .
FUNDING BOOST Small businesses are being given the chance to gain fully funded support from Teesside University graduates to help produce creative content .
Creative Fuse Tees Valley is searching for ambitious Tees Valley SMEs requiring digital creative content to collaborate with graduates and postgraduates in the exciting new creative content internship programme , which starts in January 2023 .
The four-week full-time or eightweek part-time internships are being delivered with the support of Teesside University ’ s Adobe Creative Campus accreditation .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 15