Teesside firms see jobs boost from Corus aid package

The Corus blast furnace was shut down on 19 February

More than 230 jobs have been created on Teesside by firms using government cash aimed at easing the effects of Redcar's Corus steel plant being mothballed.

When Corus announced 1,600 job losses at the plant, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson stepped in with a £60m aid package for the area.

About £7.5m of this is to be spent helping create 237 new jobs and safeguarding 336 more at five firms.

Roughly a third of the £60m has been allocated over the past three months.

Companies receiving assistance include MSD Biologics, which plans to us a £2m grant to create 75 jobs at its biopharmaceuticals facility in Billingham.

'Steadfast support'

Wilton-based PYReco, is also getting £2m and plans to recruit an extra 52 staff at its plant which recycles tyres and rubber to recover carbon black, steel and oil.

Lord Mandelson said the cash was being used to support the region's move to low carbon manufacturing.

He added: "The government remains steadfast in its support for the North East.

"The investments being made in these companies and the jobs being secured and created will contribute to the region's industrial future."

Ian Williams, director of business for regional development agency One North East said: "These are the most recent companies to benefit from this programme and we will continue to work on significant investment opportunities that continue to create more jobs in the Tees Valley in the coming months."

The Corus plant was mothballed after an international consortium pulled out of a long-standing deal to buy its steel.