Former TCP director back at Redcar plant
Sep 10 2010 by Karen McLauchlan,Evening Gazette
A FORMER Teesside Cast Products director - who marched to save the industry in the region - is back at the Redcar plant after being appointed interim managing director by the Thai firm looking to takeover the site.
SSI has appointed David Reid in advance of its proposed acquisition of TCP.
Two weeks ago SSI announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Corus to buy the site for £320m.
Although the deal has yet to be completed, the MoU paves the way for the steelmaking to start at the plant by early next year.
Until September last year Mr Reid spent five years as supply chain director at TCP, leading development of its export expansion - which rose from 400,000 to 2.4m tonnes per annum and saw TCP named the world’s leading slap exporter in early 2008.
Last year Mr Reid was one of thousands of steel workers who marched through the streets of Redcar calling for the site to be saved.
On the announcement of his appointment Mr Reid said he hoped the SSI deal would be completed “as soon as possible”.
“I will do everything I can to help push things along,” said Mr Reid, whose links with Teesside stem back to 1972, when he worked as an officer on a British merchant vessel carrying iron ore into the area.
With 700 staff currently employed at TCP, a takeover with SSI is set to create a significant number of new jobs.
“When this plant is in full swing it runs 24/7, round the clock, and that takes a big crew. We are working on that now and having discussions on what we would need.”
He added: “It was a sad day when the blast furnace was mothballed in February - when workers gathered outside the gates and the Last Post was played. I don’t want to ever see that again.
“I know what this site is capable of and I believe in this place.”
Mr Reid said he was also “looking forward” to talking to PD Ports - which had previously exported around 2.4million tonnes of steel slab through Teesport - about the takeover deal.
“We will need their good help”, he added.
Unions have welcomed Mr Reid’s announcement.
Geoff Waterfield, chairman of the multi-union works committee said Mr Reid had “Teesside in his blood”, describing the appointment as “fantastic news”.
“This is a good, smart move by SSI,” he added.”
