Titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment production is set to return to Teesside later this month as Tioxide accelerates preparations for the restart of its Greatham facility in Hartlepool, creating a wave of new job opportunities in the region.

 

The company has launched the second phase of its recruitment drive after successfully hiring more than 60 employees in just 12 weeks, filling the majority of the 70 roles announced following LB Group’s acquisition of the Greatham site and its associated TiO2 pigment assets.

 

The latest appointments, covering finance, business services and operations, have taken Tioxide’s workforce beyond 200 employees as the business moves closer to restoring full production capability.

 

Recruitment has focused heavily on bringing in production, engineering and technical specialists to support operations across the back end and finishing plant. The company has also strengthened its research and development teams at Wynyard and expanded its head office operations in Stockton-on-Tees.

 

Now, as Greatham moves towards the next stage of its restart, Tioxide is preparing to create around 60 further positions. The new roles will support the introduction of the facility’s second production line, taking the total number of positions announced since April to 130.

 

Karen Askwith, Managing Director at Tioxide, said: "The response to our recruitment campaign has been extremely encouraging and reflects the confidence people have in the long-term future of Tioxide.

 

“We have been particularly pleased to see experienced people, who previously worked at our locations, choosing to join us, bringing invaluable operational knowledge and expertise. Alongside these individuals, we are attracting other talented new recruits whose skills, energy and fresh perspectives will play an important role in shaping the next chapter of our business.

 

“Restarting a manufacturing operation of this scale is a major undertaking, and we are continuing to make excellent progress. As we move through the commissioning phase, our focus remains on achieving a safe and successful restart. Subject to the successful completion of key commissioning milestones, we expect single-stream production to resume in August.

 

“Bringing TiO2 pigment manufacturing back to Teesside is incredibly important for our business and for the region. We are proud to be creating high-quality jobs and supporting the local economy and are looking forward to supplying premium products to customers around the world.”