The mothballed Redcar steel plant on Teeside stoked its furnace again this weekend, as operations began after over two years of inactivity.

The former Corus plant was originally closed in February 2010 by previous owners Tata Steel with the loss of around 1,600 jobs. Current owners SSI UK have re-started the furnace and re-employed many of the former workers.

SSI plans to ship all steel produced at the plant to Asia but there is the possibility some may be used in the UK at a later date. The Thai company had been looking for a fully integrated slab supply business.

Phil Dryden, Chief Executive of SSI UK said: “This is an historic event and I would like to record my appreciation to all those who have been involved for their commitment and hard work on what has been a complex and demanding  restart programme. We now look forward to creating a successful and sustainable business which will benefit the local community and external stakeholders for generations to come.”