Another Massive Jobs Blow for Teesside
Hundreds of positions are to be lost at Boulby potash mine in East Cleveland.
Owner ICL says it's started consultations on 220 job cuts, as well as a further 140 contractors.
The company's revealed a "significant restructuring" of its operations, including moving from producing potash to polysulphate fertiliser.
Peter Smith, Executive Vice President-Potash of ICL, said:
“Boulby has played a major part in the economy of the area for a long time and has supplied its products to customers across the world. The process we are now embarking upon, although difficult and challenging, is aimed at ensuring that it will continue to be a major force in the local community—and a supplier of world-class fertiliser products—for many years to come.”
In response to today’s announcement of significant job losses at Cleveland Potash, North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), Chief Executive James Ramsbotham said:
“This is a further and significant blow for the area and will have a serious effect on the local economy. The Tees Valley community has pulled together over the SSI closure and no doubt will do so again following this announcement.
There are jobs available in the local economy and NECC will be working with the Council and Job Centre Plus to make sure we give the company and the workforce as much support as possible.”
MP Anna Turley said:
"I am really saddened to hear about the 350 job losses announced earlier today at Boulby Potash. This is yet another blow to the community, who have already been subjected to thousands of job losses from the closure of SSI in Redcar in the last few weeks.
My thoughts are with the miners and their families who have been affected by today’s announcement. My constituents can rest assured that I will work tirelessly to represent their best interests locally, and in Parliament. I will be supporting my colleague Tom Blenkinsop MP on Monday when he will be seeking an urgent question regarding the crisis the industry in Teesside is facing."