Tioxide restarts chemical production at Hartlepool’s Greatham site

Tioxide Materials Limited has commenced operations at its titanium dioxide (TiO₂) plant in Greatham, Hartlepool, following its acquisition by LB Group earlier this year.

The relaunch brings with it over 100 jobs and marks a significant step in restoring production at the site.

It was previously operated by Venator Materials UK Limited before it closed in late 2025 due to financial difficulties.

Karen Askwith, managing director at Tioxide, said: “Today is a landmark moment for Tioxide and a proud achievement for everyone involved in bringing the Greatham facility back into operation after it was idled in Q4 2025.”

The company plans to ramp up production in phases. (Image: Tioxide)

He added: “Drawing on more than 50 years of manufacturing heritage, the site at Greatham has a proud history of producing high-quality TiO₂ pigments.

“This is an important step forward for our new business, but also for the local economy on Teesside, for the UK chemical sector, and the wider TiO₂ industry.

“The successful commencement showcases the skill, dedication and expertise of our employees, whose commitment has been instrumental in safely commissioning the site and establishing production.”

The site produces a range of pigments used in coatings, plastics and inks. (Image: Tioxide)

Following four months of commissioning, testing and maintenance, the site is now operational with single-stream production underway and Tioxide and Deltio products beginning to return to the market.

The company plans to ramp up production in phases, aiming for full operational capacity by early 2027.

Ms Askwith said: “I’d like to thank everyone on our team for their outstanding efforts.

“I’d also like to acknowledge our suppliers for their support and our customers for their confidence throughout this process.

“With production now underway, our focus turns to delivering our ramp-up programme, stepping the site up to full manufacturing operations – safely and successfully – and ensuring our customers have access to a reliable and sustainable source of TiO₂ pigments for many years to come.”

The site is now operational. (Image: Tioxide)

The Greatham facility has a nameplate capacity of 150,000 tonnes of TiO₂ pigment per year.

Production is supported by a team of scientists at Tioxide’s research and development centre in Wynyard, as well as commercial and business support teams at its Stockton headquarters.

The site produces a range of high-performance pigments under the Tioxide and Deltio brands, used in coatings, plastics and inks.