28.09.18
Tees Valley signs off £5m fund for ‘metals industry of the future’ years after SSI closure
A £4.6m investment which will bring a revolutionary metals project to the north east has been signed off by the mayor of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA).
The investment will allow for the development and manufacturing of specialty alloy metal powders – which are used in 3D printing and car parts manufacturing – in Redcar.
Some of the funding for the scheme will come from the CASCADE project, a research and development initiative funded by the government. It will be based at the Materials Processing Institute in South Bank, a not-for-profit research and innovation centre.
Ben Houchen, mayor of the Tees Valley, said: “This investment will give Teesside the chance to compete in a potentially huge new global market.
“Staying ahead of the curve on new technologies like speciality metal powders, and the 3D printed products they’re used in, could create a whole new industrial cluster and many jobs for local workers.”
He argued that the project shows Tees Valley is a “magnet for research and development.”
Cllr Sue Jeffrey, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council and member of the TVCA Cabinet, also commented: “This is great news today for Redcar and Cleveland and the Tees Valley coming as we reach the third anniversary of the closure of SSI. This is investment in the metals industry of the future, proving that the sector continues to have great prospects here in the Tees Valley.
“Investing in the right technology today creating the jobs of tomorrow is a key part of our strategic economic plan.”
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