Call to action as Teesside hit by chemical plants closure blow; GAZETTE COMMENT.

TEESSIDE today stands at a crossroads in its economic and social history.

News that two key plants on the Wilton site are set to close has set up a chain reaction that will affect not only the long-term nature of processing on Teesside but also that of the rest of the UK.

According to Stan Higgins, chief executive of the North East Process Industry Cluster, the 180 job cuts at Dow and Croda, producer and user respectively of ethylene oxide, could see another 500 process industry jobs and 2,000 support service roles lost elsewhere. In the North-east 34,000 jobs and pounds 10bn in GDP could be caught up in the domino effect.

But the collapse of Dow and Croda is also a wake up call for an industry that holds the future health of Teesside in its hands.

As the sunset sectors fade, new sunrise industries are emerging and it's vital the region keeps its eye on the new dawn. Mr Higgins said it was crucial work continued to protect existing skills and attract new talent into the sector.

He said: "We must re-double our efforts to attract more investment to the region."