The Tees Valley's reputation for industrial excellence is renowned the world over. The development of shipbuilding, steel and chemicals saw the region transformed into a industrial powerhouse manufacturing goods for across the globe.
And Teesside expertise can still be seen today in the magnificent engineering of Sydney Harbour Bridge to today's new Wembley Stadium. There is no doubt that the decline in traditional industries has caused pain to Teesside and many areas of manufacturing in particular remain under threat today. Despite the changing global economy, Teesside industry has refused to die and continues to innovate and develop. Existing heavy industry is not going down without a fight however and thousands of people are still employed on Teesside in the steel and chemicals industries. The threat of an end to years of steel-making on Teesside was raised in 2003 when steel firm Corus, announced steel produced on Teesside would be sold on the international open market rather than supplying Corus internally. Thanks in no small part to the hard work of Teesside staff and management, a deal has been struck for the slab-making Teesside Cast Products to supply a consortium of global steel firms for the next decade. The deal secured the future of Redcar blast furnace and around 1,800 jobs. Teesside's chemical industry is also looking at a brighter future than for some time. US chemical giant Huntsman secured the next generation of chemical manufacturing with the confirmation of a £200m polyethylene plant for Wilton, near Redcar. The plant is set to create and secure hundreds of chemical jobs as well as creating thousands in the local economy. The plant, which will produce plastics for packaging, will be one of the world largest polyethylene facilities and will turn the UK into a net exporter of the chemical. On completion it will produce 400,000 tonnes of polyethylene a year. Another traditional industry which is moving with the times is the port operation at Teesport and Hartlepool. Port owner PD Ports is now developing plans to build a £300m deep sea container terminal with the potential to create 7,000 jobs in the local economy. The development has received backing from local residents and politicians, who are now lobbying the government to support the proposals. And there are countless successful firms on Teesside which have built multi-million pound fortunes for successful local entrepreneurs. From Boro chairman Steve Gibson's chemical transport firm Bulkhaul to Alastair and Michael Powell, owners of Cleveland Cable Company, Teesside business people are regularly featured in annual rich lists. They are joined by Darlington leisure boss Duncan Bannatyne, whose care home and fitness club empires has seen him become a TV expert on money-making. Alongside this the Tees Valley is developing as a centre for new technology firms such as Billingham biotechnology manufacturer Avecia and Wilton-based Centre for Process Innovation, which is developing hi-tech products for the future including roll-up TV screens and hydrogen fuel cells. | 
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