Not looking too healthy at the moment. Whilst he’s off cultivating Chinese connections, cheap Chinese steel has put Redcar out of business…

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/28/redcar-steel-plant-to-close-with-1700-job-losses

The same plant that couldn’t supply steel competitively to build the stadium down the road, a sad day but it’s been on the decline for a lot longer than that. As I recall they couldn’t even unload full ships there any more, they were shipping between there and S Wales as I recall to keep mills open etc.

Always found it really eary that next to every bit of plant there was space for the second that was never built, seems like in the gloriuos past they shot themselves in the foot with industrial relations and the investment went elsewhere.

Hes discussing bringing in chinese and japanese trains to replace british built stuff, the northewest was the hive for train building, Liverpool to Mnchestrter was the first passenger train line, Birkenhead had the first trams, now the reproduction trams where built in japan.

Probably in the next few months more production of engineering stuff will cease in the north.

Pretty tough business to be in with the massive economic cycles keep having, one minute you’re making a healthy profit, next minute you’re looking at several years of losses. Not the sort of business you want short term owners for….

Not the sort of business you want short term owners for….

There comes a point where business owners are not charities, taking the obvious way some of this is going how much tax payers money should be spent to nationalise it? Whats still running up there? It was full steel making and rolling mills when I was last there but sure it was a lot less over the years

The North desperately needs investment in infasructure. Its been starved of it for decades. It needs new railways, and roads to improve transport links between the Cities.

Gideon acknowledged this, and promised billions for precisely this, prior to the election

About 0.2 seconds after the election, he un-promised it all, and scrapped the lot

To quote one renowned northerner: Northern Powerhouse? My arse!

There might well be a financial argument for nationalising it, after all letting it fold costs the exchequer a small fortune in all the knock on costs of liquidations of suppliers and unemployment benefits etc.

Looks like we could have no ability to make steel in a year or so as Port Talbot looks like it will fold as well…..

May be a little out of touch but Sunthorpe seems to still be running
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Steel_Europe

Taking a hit on it to then be liable for the knock on costs of shutting it down when it’s finally knackered, not sure what it’s potential life span is then taking the other hits seems like madness.

As I remember from doing a chunk of work with Corus back then the ship would unload a bit in Port Talbot, then some more in the Humber then the rest at Teeside, not very efficient.

All the talk of northern powerhouse and other slogans is great, but in reality find something that the UK can compete on, build on it and work with what can be done, throwing good money after bad isn’t ever a sound business plan.

but in reality find something that the UK can compete on, build on it and work with what can be done, throwing good money after bad isn’t ever a sound business plan.

But with a massively cyclical business, you’re going to have good years and bad years….

Then factor in that your main competition is state owned Chinese foundries and you have to take a strategic view and ask do you want the UK to have foundry capability?

Not that I have the answer.

The same plant that couldn’t supply steel competitively to build the stadium down the road

That’s just crazy!

But true

If you don’t have to give a monkeys about environmental controls, and and a workforce little more than bonded slaves, then thats the way it is

Hurray for the race to the bottom that is global capitalism!!!

See most of there where can I buy the cheapest threads, it’s what people want apparently.

If you don’t have to give a monkeys about environmental controls, and and a workforce little more than bonded slaves, then thats the way it is

Bit worrying that we’re currently begging them to build a nuclear reactor for us!

oh the irony, everyone on here riding round on chinese manufactured bikes bought online (typically) and then there is an expectation that everyone else sticks to buying british, even though its not british owned.

oh the irony, everyone on here riding round on chinese manufactured bikes bought online (typically) and then there is an expectation that everyone else sticks to buying british, even though its not british owned.

This.

Mine was made in Halifax! So ner!!! 😛

Glad to see people are remembering it is more than the firm and workers that make an industry competitive. It is a shame that the Minister for the so-called northern powerhouse doesn’t realise it:

Minister for Northern Powerhouse: northern job losses “not my responsibility”

oh the irony, everyone on here riding round on chinese manufactured bikes bought online (typically) and then there is an expectation that everyone else sticks to buying british, even though its not british owned.

“everyone” – i’ve told you a million times not to exaggerate.

Building railways and infrastructure is not a quick thing. Every major infrastructure proposal is dogged by years of bureaucracy, countless reviews and inquiries, environmentalist groups trying to halt and hold up proceedings, it’s just nigh on impossible. Look at the runway expansions and HS2 projects. The UK is not a great place for large industries or companies to invest in, and for big industries like ship building, train building and steel works we just can’t compete with the likes of China and other countries who just don’t have the same difficulties and restrictions.

I don’t think the Northern Powerhouse thing meant big heavy industries like steel, I think it refers more to high tech, high margin engineering and manufacturing. The areas where we do lead the world.

Building railways and infrastructure is not a quick thing. Every major infrastructure proposal is dogged by years of bureaucracy, countless reviews and inquiries, environmentalist groups trying to halt and hold up proceedings, it’s just nigh on impossible. Look at the runway expansions and HS2 projects. The UK is not a great place for large industries or companies to invest in, and for big industries like ship building, train building and steel works we just can’t compete with the likes of China and other countries who just don’t have the same difficulties and restrictions.

That’s a bit downbeat. You’re conflating two things – yes the UK is uncompetitive for industries with massive energy use or labour input. The other stuff, the difficulty in approving huge infrastructure projects is also to do with the relatively sound rule of law and right to appeal which is a big strength in attracting investment

If HS2 gets built it will be largely funded by foreign money. As has been seen with Hinkley Point recently. Foreign money will come into these project because they’re sound. The sort of country that can approve a massive infrastructure project in 2 weeks is also the sort of place that your investment could be wiped out in a flash.

oh the irony, everyone on here riding round on chinese manufactured bikes bought online (typically) and then there is an expectation that everyone else sticks to buying british, even though its not british owned.

2 bikes, both British, one bought in LBC, tother second hand. Not everyone.