British American Business 2007 | Products & Services

North Lincolnshire has a strong agricultural sector

North Lincolnshire on the East coast of England offers the investor a prime location on the banks of the Humber Estuary, with the benefit of unparalleled access by road, air, rail and sea, to almost 500 million potential European customers – not forgetting 40 million UK customers and suppliers within just a four-hour drive. Investors benefit from first-class relocation support, high-quality serviced property, together with skilled and adaptable employees. This support makes North Lincolnshire the natural choice for business.

Business Sectors

Traditionally, one of the area’s major employers is Dutch-owned Corus. However, the economy is diverse with a broad range of manufacturers and service industries. North Lincolnshire is particularly attractive to the chemical and food and drink sectors, due to the expertise, infrastructure and supply chains. In addition, biofuels has become an emerging sector. Bulk chemicals are predominant in the area due to the accessibility of the ports and various feedstocks. Among the sites available is a 2,000 acre greenfield site designated for chemical use, with direct access to the estuary. ConocoPhillips have already invested on the site, commissioning a flagship Combined Heat and Power Plant. Businesses also benefit from access to five specialist research centres assisting with technical, product development and production issues.

Humber Chemical Focus is the focal point for the regions chemical and related industries, providing a source of expertise, information and support on all matters relating to the chemical industry. As a catalyst to support the growth and development of chemical manufacturing in the area the Centre for the Assessment of Technical Competence Humber (CATCH) has opened. It undertakes competency assessments and upskilling for the chemical and allied industries. It also has the potential to assist companies with emergency shutdown and response procedures, certification and licensing.

The South Humber Bank provides an ideal site for the fast-growing UK and European biofuels market. The port of Immingham handles around 20 million tonnes per annum of fuel products. There is an opportunity to link this expertise with the production of biofuels, connecting the skills, technology and R&D facilities. The Humber provides the right mix of location and markets. It offers good transport links and access to a variety of feedstocks, both local and imported. Lincolnshire is synonymous with agriculture; predominant crops include wheat, potatoes, oil seed rape and sugar beet, key raw materials in the biofuels sector.

The site offers direct access to the customer supply chain, efficient and cost-effective access to local oil refineries as well as into the UK inland fuel storage and distribution network. In December 2006, Greenergy Fuels opened the first phase of its biodiesel plant in the area. In addition, planning is being sought for a £100m biomass power station and a 200,000 tons bioethanol plant. If approved, it will bolster the Humber’s position as a major powerhouse for the UK. Support for the sector is available from the University of Leeds and the Yorkshire and Humber Environmental Hub. Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, is supportive of a biofuels hub in the area.

Connectivity

The Humber Ports handle in excess of 80 million tonnes of cargo a year. Deep-sea facilities allow the landing of cargoes 24 hours a day, while a rail freight facility within the dock area links to the UK main lines. The local rail freight terminal for the Channel Tunnel is only 20 miles away allowing excellent rail access to Europe. The transport of petrochemicals, coal and steel is the biggest market for rail freight, and suppliers are well accustomed to handling chemical products both bulk and speciality. Humberside Airport and Doncaster Sheffield Robin Hood Airport offer international business travel and expanding freight services. The M180 runs through the centre of the area and leads directly to the M18, M1, A1 and M62 motorways’ connecting to the rest of the UK road network. What all this means is that locating your business in the area has the potential for a competitive edge in a demanding global market.

For further information please contact
the Economic Development Team 0n:
Tel: +44 (0)1724 297383
Website: www.northlincs.gov.uk/business

All pages are copyright © of Roxby Media Ltd. British American Business is a Roxby Media publication - Disclaimer