TEES Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has visited the Materials Processing Institute to find out how the Chancellor’s £22.5million funding commitment can help bring steelmaking back to Teesside.
MPI works with the global steel and materials industries, to carry out research and innovation in advanced materials, low carbon energy and the circular economy and has been working closely with Mayor Houchen on his plan to bring steelmaking back to Teesside with a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace.
This new funding will allow MPI to undertake the necessary research and innovation in low carbon, electric based steelmaking, scrap recycling and new processes, to enable the transition of UK steel to be a sustainable, green industry.
These new technologies will help support inward investment in UK steel manufacturing, allowing Mayor Houchen to progress with his pledge of bringing steelmaking back to Teesside, and it will also support the government’s industrial strategy for clean growth, especially at the South Tees Development Corporation.
The £22.5million funding commitment announced in yesterday’s budget comes following months of talks between Mayor Houchen and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Following the announcement, Mayor Houchen visited MPI with Redcar MP Jacob Young to find out more about how the organisation will use the funding to continue its ground-breaking and world-leading research.
Mayor Houchen said: “I’ve been working with MPI closely for months on my plan to bring steelmaking back to Teesside with a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace, so yesterday’s announcement of £22.5million of funding was a critical step forward.
“It was fantastic to visit MPI today to hear all about their exciting plans now this funding has been confirmed. The Institute is a world-leader when it comes to steel development and research.
“Yesterday’s budget was fantastic for Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, with Rishi confirming the redevelopment of Darlington railway station will be approved and fully funded, Net Zero Teesside will receive a share of £800m, and this funding for MPI. I am also going to continue to push for the 750 Treasury jobs that are moving North to come to the Tees Valley, to prove the Government is recognising the North is more than just Leeds and Manchester.”
Jacob Young, MP for Redcar, said: “The Materials Processing Institute is an amazing organisation, a real credit to Teesside Industry and plays a key role in global steel research.
“I joined the Mayor and other Tees Valley MPs to ask Government for this investment, so it was great to visit them today to see how it will help them deliver our vision of bringing steelmaking back to Teesside.
“Steelmaking is in our blood and I hope everyone in Redcar and across Teesside will be backing Ben Houchen’s bold plan to use the latest technology to create thousands of jobs making clean, green steel.”
Chris McDonald, chief executive officer of the Materials Processing Institute said: “Steel and metals are foundation industries essential for Britain’s manufacturing success and sovereign capability.
“Innovation is vital to ensure that our country retains a technological lead, improves productivity and enables us to meet carbon reduction targets to protect our planet for generations to come. This investment recognises the world leading expertise at the Institute to support UK industry and environmental sustainability.
“The Institute is hugely grateful for the support of Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and Redcar MP Jacob Young for making the case to the chancellor and ministers.”
