The achievements of Teesside stainless steel specialist Paralloy have been recognised with the award of the UK’s top honour for business.
The company, which has sites in Billingham, Middlesbrough and Sheffield will receive the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for excellence in International Trade.
Chief Executive Officer Robert McGowan said: “This is such an honour and a great reward for everybody at Paralloy Group. We have worked really hard to reach a world-class level and this honour will spur us on to achieve further goals, both abroad and at home.”
Paralloy is one of only 252 organisations to receive a King’s Award for Enterprise in 2024 and just one of 161 in the category for International Trade.
The award programme was renamed last year “to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses”. The Queen’s Award was launched in 1966, a year before Paralloy opened its first foundry in Billingham.
Although it has been in business for those 57 years, Paralloy has been transformed since its management buyout in 2020.
Revenue has increased three-fold, the workforce has more than doubled to more than 500 and the company has spent millions of pounds on new equipment, infrastructure and Research and Development. It has also acquired four additional sites at the Tees Advanced Manufacturing Plant (TeesAMP) in Middlesbrough as well as new locations in Billingham and Sheffield.
Paralloy designs and produces specialist stainless steel products for a number of sectors: petrochemical, aerospace, blue hydrogen, turbines and defence. The products are cast in one of three foundries in Billingham and finished, assembled and tested in Middlesbrough.
Around 90% of its business comes from overseas customers and Paralloy is currently working on one of the biggest orders in the company’s history, providing key components for the new $6 billion Ras Laffan petrochemical complex in Qatar.
It is providing nearly 400 radiant coils which will be installed inside the seven steam cracking furnaces at the plant.
The coils, which are each 15m long, are being manufactured to withstand temperatures of 1,100 degrees centigrade. Paralloy was chosen ahead of the two other leading companies in the world with the capability to deliver the contract.
Despite its success in international trade CEO Robert McGowan also has eyes on domestic markets: “We hope to tap into the new Hydrogen network being built in Teesside from 2028 and not only use the hydrogen but supply the core reformer tubes that are used to make the Blue hydrogen by BP, thereby creating a truly circular and local footprint.”
Further growth will require additional space and staff and Paralloy is looking at a number of ways – including opening its own training academy – to overcome the skills shortage.
Although the King’s Award for Enterprise is Paralloy’s highest honour to date, its achievements have already been recognised with a number of other industry awards.
The most recent – the fourth in less than six months – was for the success of its Business Growth and Strategy at the Make UK Manufacturing Awards which took place at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Paralloy will receive its King’s Award at a ceremony in July.
Andrew Mills takes the reins at Industrial Technology Systems Ltd (ITS), joining the leadership alongside fellow directors and the company’s founder and CEO, Malcolm Knott.
Founded over three decades ago, ITS set out to be the premier “one-stop-shop” for system integration in regulated industries. These include Life Sciences, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Power and Energy, and Food and Beverage. The firm’s commitment was clear from the outset: to infuse transparency, humanity, and a determination to excel into a sector often viewed as distant and challenging.
From its roots, ITS has experienced tremendous growth, establishing a head office in Middlesbrough and a regional office in Warrington. The company’s expansion vision includes the inauguration of additional regional offices, while always maintaining their founding principles.
Coming off its most prosperous sales year to date, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ITS is primed for an exhilarating new phase – one that Andrew Mills is enthusiastic to spearhead.
“For a very long time I’ve had an appreciation and admiration of ITS, and what Malcolm and his team have achieved,” shared Mills. “Over the past thirty-two years the business has embedded and integrated itself amongst many industries, creating significant value for their customers whilst also consistently making a positive impact in the communities in which they work.
ITS has a fantastic heritage and an increasing range of automation, robotic and digital solutions. I am so excited to be joining the business at this stage in their journey, building upon the company’s foundations and deliver the growth and strategic objectives, as the opportunities in front of, and local to ITS are huge.”
Malcolm added “Over the past 32 years, the team here at ITS has solidified its place in numerous industries it has consistently added immense value for clients and the team has proactively sought to involve itself in things like STEM, CCI, and R&D”.
“I am immensely proud of ITS’ people and our history, and the appointment of Andrew is not only the start of a new era for Industrial Technology Systems Ltd, but a renewed commitment to our foundational principles. As we welcome Andrew into his new role, we are reminded of the journey we began three decades ago – one of innovation, resilience, and putting our clients and communities at the forefront. Our future is filled with very significant promise, and under Andrew’s leadership, I am excited and confident that ITS will continue to increase it’s capability to set industry standards, delivering unparalleled value while always staying true to our core.”
For further conversations with Andrew or any member of the ITS team, please contact (01642) 222232 or a-mills@its-ltd.co.uk.
Mayor Chris Cooke has hailed an internationally acclaimed vinyl record plant as a “true Middlesbrough success story”.
Mayor Cooke took a tour of Press On Vinyl – less than 18 months old, but already producing tens of thousands of vinyl records a month which have been described as the best quality in the world.
Based at Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park (TeesAMP), Press On’s directors originally envisioned a small, DIY operation to press small amounts of vinyl for their record label, Goosed Records, due to a huge bottleneck in global production capacity.
But instead, they scaled up – taking advantage of the world class facilities at TeesAMP to transform the cavernous factory into an efficient and welcoming paradise for music lovers.
It now boasts four specially engineered pressing machines, a lathe, a laboratory and even a sound mastering studio and rehearsal space.
Press On welcomed the mayor and businesses from across the North East as part of an event organised by the Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF) and Middlesbrough Council’s Invest Middlesbrough team.
Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said: “Manufacturing is part of Middlesbrough’s heritage, and we’re very proud of it.
“Press On is a real Middlesbrough success story – the vinyl records it produces are now considered to be among the best quality in the world, and it was fascinating to find out more about their story.
“I want to make sure the council provides the right service to our businesses and encourages collaboration and innovation, and events like this one are a valuable part of that offer.”
Press On Director David Todd said: “We were happy to host the Mayor of Middlesbrough and the AMF at Press On and give businesses from across the region an insight into what we do.
“We’ve grown really quickly – less than 18 months ago our site was just a massive empty warehouse. Now we’re employing 31 staff, producing tens of thousands of records a month and most importantly, helping musicians get their music into the hands of fans.
“But we always need to adapt and innovate, and we’re proud we can do that here in Middlesbrough.”
Middlesbrough Council invited the AMF – which provides the region’s engineering and manufacturing industry with networking, supply chain development and collaboration opportunities – to support the sector and help develop the local supply chain.
Alan Metcalfe, Vice Chair of the AMF, said: “Press On was a fantastic host for one of the first collaboration events we’ve held in Middlesbrough for a long time.
“The AMF is about helping the manufacturing and engineering sector in the North East to face challenges and celebrate successes through collaboration.
“We want our whole region to be successful – including Middlesbrough and the rest of Teesside – and we can do that by working with partner and helping local businesses to connect and share ideas and knowledge.”
TeesAMP is a £22.6m, 11-hectare site located on the edge of Riverside Industrial Park, providing high specification units for advanced manufacturing businesses, developed in partnership with the Tees Valley Combined Authority and private investment.
As well as Press On Vinyl, TeesAMP is also home to successful firms such as Paralloy/Firth Vickers, Durata, Sulzer and The Welding Institute (TWI).
A cutting edge manufacturing park has just a single unit up for grabs less than 18 months after opening its doors.
And that burgeoning success has seen the Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park (TeesAMP) scoop a prestigious industry award.
Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston has hailed it as a major success story for the town, and a symbol of its drive to become a ‘go-to’ destination for modern business.
The Middlesbrough development has attracted national and international interest since it opened last summer, with discussions for a proposed second phase currently ongoing.
The state-of-the-art accommodation on the town’s Riverside Park has seen 14 of 15 high-specification units snapped up totalling 180,000 sq ft.
It’s a success story that helped TeesAMP beat off stiff competition to scoop the Commercial Development of the Year category at this year’s InsiderNE Property Awards.
In their citation, the judges say: “[TeesAMP] will bring advanced manufacturing businesses to the Tees Valley, something that made this the stand-out commercial development with the judges.”
TeesAMP has been led by developer Chaloner Group, with a second phase set to provide flexible building opportunities to further attract innovative manufacturing companies to the region.
Chaloner Group Chief Executive Geoff Hogg said: “There was huge interest in TeesAMP from the manufacturing sector from outset and we’re delighted to have almost the whole site leased already.
“We expect the remaining unit to be taken in the near future, which will then enable us to start work on phase two of the development.”
Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston said: “TeesAMP is just the latest addition to a proud manufacturing heritage, and it speaks volumes about Middlesbrough’s drive and ambition.
“Top business are coming here because it’s simply the best place to be, and they’re bringing jobs and long-term prosperity with them.
“That’s been rightly recognised with a hugely well-deserved award – and this is just the start.”
TeesAMP has been funded by £12.5 million from Middlesbrough Council, £7.65 million from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority and £2.3 million from the SSI Taskforce, the body set up to support regeneration after the closure of the SSI steelworks, and substantial private investment.
To enquire about available units, please contact one of TeesAMP’s agents:
Stephen Brown:
Phone: +44(0)1642 244 130
Mobile: +44(0)7973 732 260
Email: s.brown@doddsbrown.co.uk
PD Ports, owner and operator of Teesport, has recently celebrated the first anniversary since the unveiling of its state-of-the-art Teesport Bulks Terminal.
Officially unveiled in the height of the COVID19 pandemic during an innovative live-streamed virtual ceremony, the Teesport Bulks Terminal marked an important milestone not only for PD Ports, but for the Tees Valley as a whole.
The multimillion pound bulks handling facility, which created 44 new permanent jobs, was opened by then Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP and signified the revival of bulk cargo handling on Teesside following the collapse of the steelworks in 2015.
Now, as PD Ports marks the first anniversary of the Teesport Bulks Terminal, the port is celebrating a 60 per cent increase in volumes of bulk cargo handled via the new facility with over two million tonnes handled in the first year since opening, including two record breaking months.
CEO Frans Calje said: “It’s been fantastic to see the successful transformation of Teesport’s bulks handling infrastructure through this new facility, which is underpinned by our growing customer base.
“To see a 60 per cent growth in bulk handling volumes during 12 exceptionally challenging months and during which time we have also secured three long-term deals at the facility, is testament to our continued investment and ongoing commitment to delivering on the levelling up agenda for the North.
“The fact that such established and world-leading businesses within the industry are selecting PD Ports as a critical partner in their supply chains further reinforces our proven track record of delivery and demonstrates the confidence that global companies have in our port facilities and in our region.”
After securing a third long-term deal to secure the remaining bay inside the 300,000sq.ft. Teesport Bulks Terminal in May, PD Ports is now accelerating its plans to extend the facility further, signifying its ambitions to seize new trade opportunities and secure further long-term private investment to elevate the River Tees to become the UK’s most successful port region by 2050.
Maritime Minister Robert Courts said: “It’s fantastic to see PD Ports celebrating a 60 per cent increase in cargo volumes in spite of the challenges the sector has faced over the past year.
“The Teesport terminal is a vital hub that brings jobs to the local area, supports the maritime sector as a whole and helps us in our aims to build back better from the pandemic.”
Mary Lanigan, Redcar & Cleveland Council Leader, said: “This huge investment by PD Ports shows they have confidence in our area as we continue to attract industry and business from around the globe.
“It’s wonderful to see that their ambition is paying off with three long term deals with international customers and excellent rates of growth for the port. This is vital for the creation of high-quality jobs as we move towards prosperity in the years and decades to come and I’m delighted there are plans for further expansion. I congratulate everyone involved for their ambition and success and wish them even more success in the future.”
Redcar MP Jacob Young said: “One year on and the continued success of the Teesport Bulks Terminal is a testament to the confidence of PD Ports’ investment in Teesside.
“Despite opening in what was one of the most difficult years in living memory, the port has seen bulks handling supercharged on Teesside.
“Coupled with the UK’s largest Freeport and a plan to create 18,000 jobs over the next five years, we are helping to level up across our area.
“This is fantastic news for Teesside. It means more jobs, more prosperity and growing investment in our region.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has today (9 September) visited a long-standing Tees Valley manufacturer who has boosted its workforce by taking on eight new apprentices in two months – following years of successful recruitment.
Middlesbrough’s Lionweld Kennedy Flooring has more than 100 years of experience in the design, fabrication, manufacture, and supply of open steel grating, handrailing and stair treads.
Since 2016, with the launch of the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy, eight previous apprentices have already progressed through the scheme, with the firm taking them on full-time, and supporting some to secure degrees.
Now it is swelling its ranks and going even further in supporting young people, with many more joining the firm in July and August alone and some vacancies still to be filled, in roles including engineering design, engineering operations and welding, as well as in business administration roles.
They will undergo training with the Middlesbrough-based Northern Skills Group – part of Middlesbrough College Group – as part of their personal development with some currently completing their HNC, with the view to progressing onto degree apprenticeships and permanent members of staff.
The Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority can support businesses to take on apprentices through its Apprenticeship Support Grant. This enables small and medium-sized businesses to create opportunities in sectors facing high demand and growth with support of up to £3,000 per apprentice.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “At this time more than ever, as we continue to recover our economy from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, we need to make sure our region’s young people aren’t getting left behind.
“Lionweld Kennedy is going above and beyond in securing these new apprentices and, along with our region’s training providers like the Northern Skills Group, are helping to give them the skills they need to thrive in good-quality careers right here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. It was fantastic to meet them and see first-hand how the new recruits are getting on in their apprenticeships.
“I’ve long said university isn’t for everybody, and there are plenty of options for training and study, including apprenticeships. These also benefit businesses too, who can develop hard-working, reliable employees if they take a chance and give them a leg-up.
“To help them do that, we’re still running the Apprenticeship Support Grant scheme to make it even easier to get people trained up and in-post, helping to boost our businesses and economy. I’d urge all SMEs looking to grow to support a young person and see what support is available to you.”
One apprentice who has seen success at Lionweld Kennedy is Jacob Marshall, apprentice draughtsman, aged 19 from Redcar.
Jacob said: “I’m really grateful for this opportunity to not only work and earn but also achieve a qualification that will give me a whole career. Lionweld Kennedy is well set up for apprentices, so we are all supported from day one and I feel like part of the team.
“Many of my friends still don’t know what they’ll do when they leave college, so it feels great to have a clear path to follow.”
Mark Henderson, Business Development Director at Lionweld Kennedy said “We recruit for such a wide range of roles including technical, head office departments and factory based, so to be able to bring young people into the business who become trained in their individual specialism is a huge advantage.
“We’re particularly proud of our retention rate and how many apprentices stay within the business, adding value for many years in some cases.”
Dawn Smith, Skills Development Manager at Northern Skills Group, said: “Northern Skills Group has been working with Lionweld to build apprenticeship programmes that create a sustainable workforce for the future of the business. We’ve helped Lionweld build the skills it needs to grow by creating technical and professional skills programmes and through our apprenticeship recruitment service. It’s fantastic to see the business reap the rewards of investing in skills.”
Addison Project are delighted to announce the opening of their new north east engineering office, located at Riverside Park in Middlesbrough.
With offices in Lancashire and Cheshire for over two decades, the new Teesside office is an exciting opportunity to establish Addison Project in the North East as a leading engineering service provider.
The office will be based on the same successful principles that have made Addison Project one of the leading independent engineering service companies in the UK; quality, honesty and reliability. These principles are the foundation of our success together with the support of our employees, who are the life blood of the company.
Our intention is to further cement Addison Project in the North East region, delivering Engineering Design and Project Management at the highest possible level, not only meeting your expectations but exceeding them.
We recognise the need for local resource, so alongside our recruitment policy of attracting experienced engineers, we will develop new staff through our training, apprenticeships and development schemes. We hope to create local job opportunities and attract the right individuals to join us on our exciting journey.
Our in-house engineering capability covers project and construction management, plus multi-disciplined design service including; process, mechanical, EC&I, civil and structural capabilities.
In support of the above services we also offer in-house; 3D Laser Scanning / Modelling, DSEAR studies, Pressure Relief, Pipe Stressing & High Voltage engineering up to and including 33kV.
Our commitment to Health & Safety has been acknowledged by the award of the ROSPA ‘Order of Distinction’, this follows twenty years of consecutive ‘Gold Awards’. As an example of this, we have recently passed the milestone of 100,000 Harm Free hours on the major construction project at Lianhetech, which makes us and our contractors particularly proud.
Should you wish to discuss any of the above with us, please contact us on enquiries@addisonproject.co.uk or call the office on 01642 694000.
TeesAMP, the landmark £55m advanced manufacturing Business Park adjacent to Riverside Park industrial development on the banks of the River Tees, has welcomed its latest occupants, Durata.
The company, which employs 20 people, specialises in critical power infrastructure for data-led industries such as banks, hospitals and government sites. It took up residence in its new 3,000sq ft industrial space, after following the TeesAMP development from its inception in 2018.
TeesAMP was developed by Middlesbrough-based Chaloner Group, in partnership with Middlesbrough Council and Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) in order to attract innovative companies to the area, resulting in more job opportunities created for the Tees Valley.
Featuring high quality, high specification buildings over 180,000sq ft, it has become a focal point for innovation and advanced engineering in the Tees Valley, and plans to continue its growth in the development of Phase 2, which will cover an additional 100,000sq ft.
Durata, which operates throughout the UK and Europe as well as the Middle East, is aiming to grow its presence in the Tees Valley and the wider North East region and grow its Teesside business links by developing relationships with technology focused businesses in the area.
Already well established in the south of England, Durata are preferred suppliers to high profile organisations providing world-leading energy technologies and real-time automation services into integrated solutions for data centres, infrastructure and industries.
Geoff Hogg, Chief Executive of Chaloner Group, said: “We are exceptionally proud to welcome the Durata team to their new office on the TeesAMP development. We are confident that this will give them the opportunity to further expand into the Tees Valley area and the wider Northern region.
“The interest in the TeesAMP development from the technology and manufacturing sectors has been considerable, and we are looking forward to planning and seeing work begin on Phase Two soon.”
John McGee, Managing Director of Durata, said: “Our move to the prestigious TeesAMP development has been part of our strategic plans for the last two years, and we are proud that we are able to grow our presence in our home town of Middlesbrough.
“TeesAMP gives us the opportunity to attract new clients in and around Tees Valley, and our focus is very much on the innovative companies, and industry-leading cluster of technology based businesses that are right here on our doorstep.”
Councillor Ashley Waters, Executive Member for Regeneration at Middlesbrough Council, said: “TeesAMP is a hugely significant project for Middlesbrough and the wider Tees Valley, and we’re thrilled that it is already attracting businesses and creating job opportunities for local people.
“It’s great to see Durata scaling up its operations within Middlesbrough’s thriving digital and technology sectors. I wish them all the best in their new home at TeesAMP.”
Teesside logisitics business, AV Dawson has named its new port facility Port of Middlesbrough – bringing a name back to the area from over 100 years ago
AV Dawson has amalgamated several parts of its Middlesbrough-based port and logistics operations to form one, integrated port facility as it drives forward with further growth and expansion.
The business has called this new facility Port of Middlesbrough in honour of a port that was on the same stretch of the River Tees back in the 1830s, prior to the construction of Middlesbrough Dock.
Gary Dawson, managing director at AV Dawson said: “Over the years, we’ve acquired various sites as we’ve expanded our operations and its become a challenge to describe succinctly what AV Dawson Ltd is.
“We have thought long and hard about what drives the business forward and what defines us – we’ve concluded that our location and the River Tees are key to this, neither of which feature in the company name. So given the nature of all of the multimodal assets and activities that we own and operate, we are best positioned from a marketing perspective describing ourselves as a port.
“We wanted to consolidate under one new encompassing brand and image, but with a continuation of the AV Dawson name and legacy. ‘Port of Middlesbrough – an AV Dawson facility’ fits with our history and reflects the growth of our business and the town.
“Being a Teesside family business, founded over 80 years ago, the history of the area is really important to us so it seemed logical to reignite the Port of Middlesbrough name.
The new port marks the start of a three-year port masterplan to further develop the site, which will go on to create further jobs and investment in the local area. This plan, an investment of over £10m includes the construction of a plastic waste recycling plant, a new headoffice and the enhancement of AV Dawson’s existing quayside to accommodate larger vessels. It’s anticipated that these developments will create over a hundred new jobs on the site.
Andy Preston, Mayor of Middlesbrough said: “This development is a perfect fit for my wider ambitions for Middlesbrough, focusing on attracting new investment and jobs to boost the town’s economy.
“As an iconic local firm, AV Dawson is a great asset to our town – it is fantastic that it has brought back the Port of Middlesbrough and continues to invest for the future. This is hugely positive news for Middlesbrough”.
Mr Dawson concluded: “The launch of Port of Middlesbrough adds further strength to the River Tees and its offer to importing and exporting businesses. We plan to work closely with the statutory harbour authority, PD Ports, to ensure the Tees attracts more ships, as ultimately this will help drive jobs and the local economy.”
PD Ports is celebrating the official opening of a multi-million pound bulks handling facility at Teesport that marks an important milestone in the revival of the Tees Valley following the collapse of the SSI Steelworks in 2015.
Simon Clarke MP, Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, officially opened Teesport Bulks Terminal during a virtual ceremony on August 12th.
PD Ports’ £9.2 million investment to renovate and refurbish its former Steel Export Terminal delivers a modernised warehousing facility that is firmly positioned to handle continued international trade growth and support post-COVID economic recovery, as well as further economic growth over the longer term.
The 300,000sq.ft. terminal comprises seven walled bays, primed to store a range of bulk products such as soya and grain and directly connected to covered rail access to provide an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective solution for domestic exports.
The investment has created 44 new jobs on Teesside, and builds on the £1bn of investment PD Ports has attracted to the region over the last decade, in addition to the Government’s own £70 million investment to regenerate the Tees Valley and its ongoing commitment to the levelling-up agenda.
“The opening of the Teesport Bulks Terminal marks an important milestone in the continued revival of the Tees Valley,” said Simon Clarke, MP during his opening speech.
“This new terminal will increase trade, create new jobs for the region and help boost the UK’s economic recovery as we emerge from the worst effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Teesside is leading the way in an era of international investment and economic renewal and as a proud Teessider, I couldn’t welcome this more.”
PD Ports’ CEO, Frans Calje, says completion of the Teesport Bulks Terminal signifies the resurgence of bulks handling in the Tees Valley and demonstrates the region’s economic recovery post SSI.
“In 2015, disaster struck the Tees Valley as the steelworks collapsed after more than 150 years of steelmaking. Overnight the River Tees and this region lost one of its main component parts and we, as PD Ports, lost a third of our business.
“Thanks to an ongoing journey of diversification, we have been able to rise, almost symbolically, from our own ashes into something that is now far larger in 2020 than it ever was in 2015.
“We now employ more people than we ever did before in the Tees Valley and instead of being reliant on what we once were we are now in charge of our own destiny.
“With the opening of this facility we are celebrating the relationship of two like-minded businesses and the realisation that by working together we can be far greater than going it alone.”
Global natural resource company Glencore Agriculture UK backed PD Ports’ investment and UK Managing Director, James Maw, explained how the opening of the facility is an important milestone for the Glencore business as well as for the Tees Valley.
“Our business was getting tired and so we had to radically think about how to revitalise Glencore UK,” said James. “That planning and strategy led us to Teesside and PD Ports in late 2016.
“PD Ports has proven its adaptability in transitioning from steel products to a wide range of bulk products and I have to commend the work they have done, alongside key customers, in delivering a remarkable change for PD Ports and the Tees Valley. It is providing a future for the Port and the region as a whole.
“The Teesport Bulks Terminal will provide new opportunities for both import and export as well as providing the efficiency, reliability, flexibility and a level of service that will ensure that our customers remain our customers.”
Glencore will utilise three bays at the Teesport Bulks Terminal to store its agribulk products destined for UK distribution – a long-term commitment that demonstrates the resilience of the UK economy and continued international confidence for trade and investment in the UK.
