British Steel creates "a host" of new jobs in Teesside following return to production

A UK manufacturing firm has announced that it will be creating “a host” of new jobs in Teesside.

British Steel reported today that the recruitment process has started for a number of new manufacturing jobs at its site in Lackenby.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has said that he is urging people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool to apply.

The new Teesside jobs are the latest step in British Steel’s efforts to play a role in supporting the UK economic recovery following the coronavirus impact by protecting thousands of jobs and supplying products and services to its customers.

Production at British Steel’s Skinningrove site resumed last month, with around 300 furloughed staff returning to work, following a temporary pause due to the impact of the coronavirus.

Following the return to production, bosses at British Steel said they had increased confidence in the firm’s ability to navigate its way through this situation and produce the requisite volumes of special profiles at Skinningrove.

The site at Lackenby was not affected by this and the company’s facility in Darlington also remained open.

Mayor Ben Houchen commented: “Ever since a deal was agreed to secure the long term future of British Steel, I have always been confident of the firm’s commitment to our region, and the recruitment process opening for these new, good quality, Teesside jobs is the perfect example of that.

“The steeliness in the workers on Teesside has impressed the bosses at British Steel just as much as me, and I urge anyone looking for work to apply for one of these new roles – we want local jobs to be filled by local people.

“British Steel will play an important role in supporting our economic recovery by protecting thousands of jobs and supplying products to those that need them.

“Our steelworkers going back to work in an appropriate and safe way is a sign that we will succeed as a region and come back bigger, better and stronger than ever before.

“We remain in difficult circumstances and we have to do everything we can to protect our NHS and save lives, but it is important to get our economy moving again when it is safe to do so, and I am pleased that one again here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool we are leading the way.

“I’m putting in place the building blocks for a stronger economy and with my plan to attract new investment and create good quality local jobs, we will bounce back.”