As part of his programme of meeting businesses across Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Simon has visited Tees Components in North Skelton, a fantastic family-run engineering firm which specialises in precision machine parts. He was shown round the works by manager Sharon Lane and saw the range of leading edge equipment that their team uses to manufacture products for the energy, transport and defence sectors. Simon also got to hear about the company's important work training apprentices, part of their commitment to being a firm truly rooted in East Cleveland.
Simon and Sharon are pictured below in front of some of the engine parts for the new Antarctic research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough (formerly known, famously, as Boaty McBoatface!).
Separately, Simon visited the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum (https://www.facebook.com/cimmuseum/) in Skinningrove, which has just heard the great news that it will receive £800,000 from the Government to part-fund its ambitious "Room to Grow Project" to revolutionise the Museum's facilities and enable it to stay open all year round, including two new classrooms for school visits.
The Museum showcases East Cleveland's history of ironstone mining - the bedrock upon which modern Middlesbrough was founded. It celebrates the hard work and tenacity of the miners and their extraordinary legacy of some 350 miles of tunnels stemming from this one mine alone. To give some idea of the scale of the workings, the old underground stables are apparently situated under Loftus Town Hall!
Simon was shown round by Project Manager Graham Banwell and trustee Janette Holt.
Speaking after his visits, Simon said,
"Industry is at the heart of East Cleveland's past and future and my two recent visits reflect that. Tees Components is a great ambassador for how Teesside leads the world in skilled engineering, and the talent and resilience of our workforce. The management there are passionate about developing their business here in East Cleveland and are confident and optimistic about the outlook after Brexit.
"I also really enjoyed my visit to the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum - the only museum of its kind in the world, and a fascinating tribute to the men who worked there, and through their efforts built Teesside. I'm very grateful to Graham and Janette for my tour and was delighted to say I will support their application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for matched funding following the Government's investment. I can't recommend a visit highly enough."