NEWS
Mirror image – The Wilton Centre .
FULL CIRCLE
A facility that was once at the centre of the petrochemicals and plastics industry is now a hub for clean technologies
The Wilton Centre has come full circle since its days as the headquarters of the giant ICI empire . Then it was home to an organisation which developed products that changed our lives but had consequences which at the time were not fully appreciated .
Now the Wilton Centre hosts a number of occupiers – such as ReNew ELP – which are pioneering ways to recycle materials which , up until now , were thought to be destined for landfill or worse .
At an event staged at the centre by the Tees Valley Business Club , site director Steve Duffield told business leaders : “ A lot of what was invented and created at the Wilton Centre – in terms of petrochemicals and plastics – has come full circle . From the originator of what we see now as the problem , the Wilton Centre is today finding the solutions .”
The centre is managed by the Pioneer Group , which has another nine sites in its portfolio across the UK and Ireland .
Together they accommodate nearly 650 businesses and the 65 companies based at the Wilton Centre employ around 750 people .
“ Our location means a lot of businesses have moved here to be near Teesworks where they already have contracts or an expectation of winning work there ,” said Claire Morton , the centre ’ s leasing and assistant asset manager .
But it ’ s not only companies at the forefront of the green revolution that are initiating change . The Wilton Centre is installing 20 electric vehicle charging points in its car park and , depending on demand , may install 20 more .
Meanwhile , one of its occupiers is working in partnership with Redcar and Cleveland College to ensure the young engineers of tomorrow are ready to work in Teesside ’ s new net zero industries .
JBA Engineering is developing a carbon capture training rig , which will become a key part of the college ’ s new £ 3.2m Clean Energy Education Hub .
The rig has been developed by JBA ’ s subsidiary business DarbyTech Training Equipment and , as well as all the working parts , QR codes are positioned around the equipment to provide students with access to e-learning resources .
DarbyTech ’ s managing director Gary Lawson added : “ This is all about providing a hands-on learning experience in a safe environment . At the same time , we ’ re all trying to inspire young people about
Future – ( From left ) Gary Lawson of DarbyTech with students Warren McConnell and Maddi Darbyshire and Dave Thompson from Redcar and Cleveland College .
engineering and highlighting the very real difference they ’ ll be making to the future of the planet .”
Students have visited the Wilton Centre to see how the training rig is progressing . Dave Thompson , who is leading the carbon capture training rig project at the college , said around 100 students will start their training later this year and he is certain their new skills will be in much demand .
That ’ s also the view of Jeremy Hunt , the chancellor of the exchequer , who came to Redcar and Cleveland College in April and was shown around the Clean Energy Education Hub .
“ Teesside is very much going to be a national centre for clean energy , attracting hundreds of millions of pounds of investment from around the world ,” he said .
“ This will mean well-paid jobs in the industries of the future and the way you get there , which is why I wanted to come to Redcar and Cleveland College , is you have to upgrade people ’ s skills . That is how you upgrade people ’ s salaries and get those opportunities .”
Businesses interested in moving to the Wilton Centre should contact Claire Morton at c . morton @ wiltoncentre . com .
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