Speakers – For Lucy to Update
Top L-R: Daren Smith, Sabic; Mark Kenrick, px group; Craig Hooper, CF Fertilisers; John McNicolas, South Tees Development Corporation & Philip Aldridge, NEPIC
Bottom L-R: Nomi Ahmad, Sembcorp; Alastair Leighton, GSK; Prof. David Greenwood, Warwick University; Steve Finn, Quorn & Steve Bagshaw, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies
Daren Smith
Site Director, SABIC UK Petrochemicals
Daren Smith joined SABIC in 2001 as a Project Manager before moving on to other positions, including Senior Maintenance Manager, EHSS Director and General Manager Technical Group. He has also held Project Management roles for Arizona Chemicals and Foster Wheeler Energy, which involved extensive travel across Europe and America and an assignment in Thailand. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Teesside University, is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Daren was appointed as Site Director for SABIC, Teesside in May 2017.
A multi-million pound Turnaround 2020
During the second quarter of 2020 SABIC will undertake a significant Turnaround (TA) event on the Olefins 6 Cracker and supporting assets. This TA occurs once every 6 years and enables the SABIC team to carry out vital maintenance work to ensure the continued safe and efficient operation of the Cracker for the next period.
A safe, well controlled and effective TA is essential to maintaining a sustainable and growing business for SABIC on the Teesside site. Recognising the importance of this event, SABIC has already mobilized a dedicated TA preparation and implementation team that will develop all the required specifications, contracts and resourcing plans to ensure it is a great success.
Nomi Ahmad
Head of UK Business, Sembcorp Industries Group
Mr Ahmad has almost 25 years of executive experience in the global energy industry and joined the Singapore-based business four years ago. He took on the exciting UK role earlier this year and is charged with developing energy and utilities operations at Wilton and deepening Sembcorp’s presence in the rapidly expanding UK energy market.
A global integrated energy provider
Mr Ahmad will join us and explain how Sembcorp is repositioning itself as a global integrated energy provider. The transformation is likely to lead to hundreds of millions of pounds of investment on Teesside through the development of Sembcorp’s energy and utilities infrastructure at Wilton. It will also mean expansion into other parts of the UK energy market through the acquisition of complementary businesses. In the process, Sembcorp will play a major role in supplying low carbon power to future industrial developments at Wilton and potentially elsewhere on Teesside as well as supplying surplus electricity into the National Grid at times of peak demand.
“Meet the Members is a fantastic opportunity to give business and industry leaders from across the region an insight into how we are playing our part in the industrial and economic regeneration of the Tees Valley and to explain our strategy in the context of the rapid changes in the UK and global energy markets.”
Jane Goult, Commercial Marketing Manager at Sembcorp Utilities UK
Alastair Leighton
Site Director, GSK
Barnard Castle is one of GSK’s biggest secondary manufacturing sites, employing 1,100 people. A £92 million investment in the site was announced last July to improve the efficiency and competitiveness and includes both investments for respiratory and HIV medicines manufacturing. The site supplies nearly half a million packs of products per day to 140 global markets.
Craig Hooper
AMAC Site Section Manager, CF Fertilisers
Craig joined CF as a chemical engineer in 2010 and has fulfilled roles within engineering, operations and maintenance management. Craig’s currently responsible for the operation of CF’s ammonia plant, three nitric acid plants and chemical bi-product facilities on the Billingham Site. He won the NEPIC Young Achiever award in 2016.
CF Investing in Teesside
CF Fertilisers has unveiled a plan to invest £40m at its Billingham production facility. The projects will take place on their Ammonia and Nitric Acid plants as well as the high voltage electricity distribution network.The ammonia plant project involves replacement of the steam reforming equipment and gas transmission piping on the high temperature part of the plant and our aim is to complete the upgrade by 2020. As a result of the investment the site’s high voltage network will be ‘state of the art’ with a lifespan in excess of 40 years giving significant power security for future needs. The nitric acid plant investment will see a range of equipment replaced to improve reliability and meet the growing demand.
“I am proud to be part of Teesside’s industrial history in the making. The strength of the North East’s chemical industry is the partnership between companies in the area working together.”
Steve Bagshaw
Chief Executive, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies
FUJIFILM Diosynth is one of the world’s leading Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations and Steve has global responsibility for all their business activities reporting directly to FUJIFILM Corporation in Tokyo. He is based in Billingham on Teesside. Steve is also Chair of the UK Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum. He is currently Co-Chairing the UK Bioeconomy Strategy Programme Board and is a Director of NEPIC .
UK Bioeconomy – Opportunities for the North East England
Steve has been at the forefront of developing the UK Bioeconomy strategy and will share the latest developments and how this can be a positive direction for the North-east economy.
John McNicholas
Engineering & Programme Director, South Tees Development Corporation
John has over 25 years’ experience delivering major regeneration and infrastructure projects and programmes across the UK, in both the public and private sectors. A chartered civil engineer, he has held numerous senior management positions in industry-leading global consultancy organisations, covering regional and sector oriented operations, commercial management and business development.
South Tees Development Corporation ……. One Year On
Launched on 01 August 2017, the South Tees Development Corporation is approaching its one year anniversary. Much has been achieved in the formative stages of the corporation, and this presentation will provide attendees with an update on progress made to date, key next steps in the delivery of the South Tees Regeneration Programme, and the near term opportunities available to businesses. The presentation will touch on the developing position with regard to early investor interest in the South Tees area and related market sectors.
“Engagement with local businesses and industry will be pivotal to delivering a successful regeneration programme on South Tees. The regeneration undertaking is a massive one, never before attempted on this scale in the UK, and the ambitions are, by necessity, bold. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Tees Valley, and for local and regional business to play a key role in realising the best outcomes possible for the area. The South Tees Development Corporation is therefore delighted to be supporting the NEPIC Meet the Members Conference.”
Professor David Greenwood
Professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems, Warwick University
Professor David Greenwood leads the Advanced Propulsion Systems team at WMG which covers Energy Storage; Energy Conversion; and Energy Management. He leads WMG’s activities as the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s Electrical Energy Storage Spoke, and provides academic leadership for the development of R&D activities within the National Automotive Innovation Centre.
Opportunities for the UK Chemical Industry in Batteries
This presentation will outline the automotive and grid storage markets for batteries, the shape of our current supply chain, the material needs for batteries, and the opportunities for the UK supply chain. It will also cover the Faraday Battery Challenge as a mechanism for support.
“Automotive batteries will be a £5bn per year opportunity in the UK within 15 years, and a £50bn export opportunity. The supply base is in its infancy, and opportunity exists for the UK chemical sector to play a major role. UK government is supportive – what role could you play?”
Steven Finn
Factory General Manager, Quorn
Steven has worked as a Biomedical Scientist for the NHS, Analytical Chemist and Microbiologist for ICI and within the Quorn business for 28 years.
Quorn – A 50 Year Overnight Success Story
Steven will cover the history of Quorn, right back to the discovery of the ‘mycoprotein’ organism some 50 years ago, including who was looking for a ‘new food’ and why, along with the evolution of Quorn production on Teesside, the growth of the business and how it was almost closed. Where we are today – the ambition for the future and why he believes Quorn has ‘come of age’ at the right time.
“We want to share our truly ‘local’ success story. The growth and investment within the Quorn business will boost the local economy, increase employment and help to increase skills and innovation in the North East region.”
Mark Kenrick
Chief Executive Officer, px group & NEPIC Chairman
Further details coming soon.
Philip Aldridge
Chief Executive Officer, NEPIC
Further details coming soon.
