Our Bid and Marketing Manager, Dean Hill, attended Yorkshire Insider’s online forum on the Humber Freeport. To understand how the Freeport will engage with local businesses in the Humber region, where two of our factories are based.
Humber’s successful bid for UK Freeport status has been hailed as a ‘game-changer’ for the region. It will boost the local economy while supporting levelling up in the area, as it’s estimated that this will mean an increase of investment of £3.5bn.
This new status enables local businesses to take advantage of new supply chain opportunities in offshore wind and advanced manufacturing. People will also have access to more job opportunities within the region with an estimated 7000 high quality new jobs.
The forum was set up to outline the benefits the Humber Freeport will bring to the area. The hour-long discussion was hosted by Insider featuring stakeholders of the Humber plan as well as key national advocates. They explained the concept of the Freeports, how they work and how the eight sites across the UK have the potential to power international trade in a post-brexit Britain. There was also discussion around how it will encourage innovation in manufacturing and logistics. We’re already seeing the early effects of engagement from the Freeports from the Border Force Accommodation requirements linked to Brexit.
Linked to Insider’s national campaign, the attendees learned who the potential occupiers of the site may be. What benefits they’ll receive, what industry sectors they represent and the efforts being made to generate supply chain opportunities as well as job opportunities. They also learned how the local transport infrastructure will serve the Freeport and whether any further investment will be needed.
The extended supply chain investment will help our business in the future and our gas and oil products for export could benefit from the new tariffs. Dean Hill, our Bid and Marketing Manager, said, “Being originally from Teesside, I was very proud that Liverpool, Humber and Teesport all received the Freeport status. But not knowing what this means to the wider enterprise of these areas, I decided to join the Yorkshire Insider webinars. Mainly to understand how their approach will provide economic benefits to local businesses in these regions, with us being well placed to service any accommodation requirements for expansion plans.”
“The forum had a fantastic line-up of speakers who shared the very positive long-term benefits of the Freeports. As well as helping us to understand how it will help the local economy. I found the Able proposal very interesting and feel that we could support various aspects of the build. I look forward to being able to support the Energy market with this region now listed as a Hub.”