Good News from Redcar Steelworks

After the catastophe of of TATA, and the disgusting "hands off" betrayal of British steel workers by the last government, at  least there is a little good news for my friends and fellow grubby Little Englanders in Redcar.

Sold off to TATA, Redcar steelworks was then closed down.  Mothballed was the term - but mothballs don't feed the kids.

Finally earlier this year, TATA sold Redcar to Thai steelmaker Sahaviriya Steel Industries (trading as SSI UK).

Billothewisp has to admit that at the time I thought that the future looked bleak - Yet another foreign owner of a strategic industry. I has dark thoughts as to the purpose of this purchase.

Possibly SSI was there only to extract as much in goverment grants, secure extortionate trade deals, run the plant into the ground and then dissapear. Or worse, simply keep the place closed so removing a competitor from the market (which was, I suspect TATA's original motive).

But so far, SSI look like a significant improvement over TATA.

SSI are planning to reopen Redcar and have now started hiring, so we should perhaps give them the benefit of the doubt. (See their Website Here)

The need for jobs, and the eagerness of the people the North East to gain  honest work in a hard and gruelling industry is shown by the fact that each of the 1000 jobs had at least ten applicants. (See BBC Report Here)

On many occasions, the people of the North East have been sold down the river by government. This betrayal has been variously aided and abetted by the sharp suits in London and a putrid adherence to the false doctine of Globalisation.

This betrayal has gone on for far too long.

It is about time the good people of the North East had a few (dozen) good breaks.

I still have my fears and reservations. But at this time, I wish SSI Ltd all the best.

Redcar Teeside - Positive News?

It looks like the Indian owned Corus Steel is selling Redcar (Teeside Cast Products) to a Thai steelmaking company (SSI)

See this link BBC Report

This is some really good news for the people of Teeside.

It is a shame that this is simply one foreign corporation exchanging ownership with another
but at least it looks like it will mean that Redcar will re-open and re-start production.

I still have my worries about why we allow our people and stategic industries to be ping-ponged to and fro by the the likes of TATA, Kraft and others.
But SSI do at least plan to re-open the plant, which is more that the TATA owned Corus could manage.

We will see the people of the North-East will get back to doing what they are superbly good at.

Heavy engineering and steel making.

I really, really, really hope this works out well.

Good luck to my friends in the North-East.