A fertiliser firm is to invest £40m and create 100 temporary jobs at its Teesside manufacturing plant. CF Fertilisers is set to update its Billingham manufacturing complex in what will be the biggest investment in the facilities in 20 years. The move - described as a vote of confidence in its Teesside operations - follows two years of record outputs and builds on the near 100-year heritage of fertiliser manufacturing at the site. It will create more than 100 temporary jobs over the next two years, says CF Billingham site manager Keith Brudenell. “We are now the only company manufacturing high quality ammonium nitrate in the UK with our iconic blue bags a feature on farms up and down the country. “Since CF Industries took a 100% holding in the site in 2015, demand has grown considerably and we are now developing the plant to keep pace with this and meet the challenges of the future.” The bulk of the money will be spent on two key projects to improve the infrastructure and production capabilities with development of other facilities and equipment also planned. The first priority is a £15.7m project to upgrade the Billingham high voltage electricity distribution network. Mr Brudenell added: “The new high voltage network will be ‘state of the art’ with a lifespan in excess of 40 years giving us significant power security for future needs and making for more efficient production.” The second major project is a £15.5m upgrade to the ammonia reforming plant - designed to extend its life by 20 years. The aim is to complete the upgrade by 2020. CF Fertilisers is also investing £8m to replace equipment in one of its acid plants to improve reliability and meet growing demand. Mr Brudenell added: “All in all, this is a real vote of confidence in the Billingham site and its team and for industrial chemicals on Teesside in general. “It will allow us to continue the long history of ammonia and fertiliser manufacture at Billingham and make sure we are in the best shape possible to look after the needs of all our employees and customers as we approach our 100 year anniversary in 2023.”
CF Fertilisers is investing $55.4m (£40m) into its Billingham manufacturing complex to upgrade the high voltage electricity distribution network and upgrade the ammonia reforming plant so that it can keep up with growing demand. The upgrades are expected to extend the lifespan of the plant significantly showing a vote of confidence to the Teesside operation. The fertiliser company acquired the plant in 2015 and is the only firm producing high quality ammonium nitrate in the UK.