North Lincolnshire on the East coast of England offers investors a prime site location on the banks of the Humber Estuary, with the benefit of unparalleled access by road, air, rail and sea, to over 450 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 and high-quality serviced property. Together with the skilled and adaptable employees, this support makes North Lincolnshire the natural choice for business.

Traditionally one of the area’s major employers is the steel manufacturer Corus, now owned by the Indian Tata Group. However, the economy is diverse with a broad range of manufacturers and service industries. North Lincolnshire’s key business sectors include chemicals, food and drink and engineering, for which there is a great deal of expertise and infrastructure. An emerging sector, for which the area is ideal, is the biofuels market.

Bulk chemicals are predominant in the area due to the accessibility of the ports and various feedstocks. Among the extensive range of sites available is a 2,000-acre greenfield site, with direct access to the Humber, designated for chemical and/or port related use.

Humber Chemical Focus is the focal point for the region’s chemical and related industries, providing a source of expertise, information, support and collaboration on all matters relating to and affecting the chemical industry as well as networking opportunities. The Centre for the Assessment of Technical Competence Humber (CATCH) opened in summer 2006 and quickly has become a catalyst to support the growth and development of chemical manufacturing in the area. The centre offers staff competency assessments and upskilling for the chemical and allied industries, as well as assisting with emergency shutdown and response procedures.

There are five specialist university research centres in Yorkshire and the Humber to assist companies with technical, product development and production issues.

Over 25 chemical manufacturers are based in North Lincolnshire, as well as support industries essential to their operation. These include Portuguese ColecpCCL, Jotun Paints (Europe) Ltd and the two oil refineries operated by ConocoPhillips and Total. They all benefit from the natural and built advantages of the area.

The South Humber Bank provides an ideal site for the fast growing UK and European biofuels market. The Port of Immingham, one of the largest petroleum ports in Europe handles around 20 million tonnes per annum of fuel products. To maintain the area’s strong alliance with transport fuels there is an opportunity to link this expertise with the production of biofuels, connecting the skills, technology and R&D facilities.

The Humber gives the right mix of location and markets. It offers good transport links and access to a variety of feedstocks, both local and imported. In the neighbouring East Midlands region alone 78% of the total land area is utilised for agriculture and horticulture; predominant crops include wheat, potatoes, oilseed rape and sugar beet, which can serve as feedstock for the biofuel industry.

The South Humber Bank 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 April 2007 Bioethanol Ltd were granted planning permission to build a 200,000 tons bioethanol plant. Construction is expected to commence in early 2008.

Support for the sector is available from the University of Leeds, the Yorkshire and Humber Environmental Hub and the National Non-Food Crop Centre. Yorkshire Forward the regional development agency is supportive of a biofuels hub in the area.

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. 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 experienced in 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.

This all means that North Lincolnshire offers your business the potential for a competitive edge in a demanding global market.



CONTACT POINT
Principal Regeneration Officer
North Lincolnshire Council
PO Box 42, Church Square House
Scunthorpe
North Lincolnshire
DN15 6XQ
Tel: +44-(0)1724-297383
Fax: +44-(0)1724-297500
Email: ulrike.dearden@northlincs.gov.uk
Web: www.northlincs.gov.uk/business

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