Tioxide Materials says its Greatham pigment works can now manufacture its complete TIOXIDE and DELTIO product ranges, seven weeks after production restarted at the Teesside site. The operational milestone comes as the company recruits staff and prepares to bring a second manufacturing line into service in early 2027.
Production resumed on 18 August following the acquisition of the site and associated assets by LB Group in April 2026. Returning an established chemical manufacturing plant to operation requires more than switching on equipment: process systems must be commissioned, staff brought together and products tested against customers’ specifications.
The company’s 8 October update describes progress in the range of grades available and the volume being manufactured. It does not disclose current tonnes produced, operating utilisation or customer shipments. The ability to make all product grades should therefore not be confused with reaching the facility’s full intended annual capacity.
When both production streams are operating, the company expects the Greatham plant to have nameplate capacity of 150,000 tonnes of titanium dioxide pigment a year. The second stream is still undergoing engineering and commissioning work, and its planned restart in early 2027 remains a target rather than an achieved operating milestone.
Titanium dioxide is used to provide whiteness, opacity and durability in products including coatings, plastics and other industrial materials. Different applications require different pigment properties, which makes the availability of the full grade range commercially significant for customers assessing supply arrangements.
Reintroducing an established product range can involve technical qualification as well as production. Buyers need assurance about consistency, delivery and performance before committing material used in their own manufacturing processes. Tioxide’s reported progress increases the range it can offer, although the announcement provides no figures on orders or sales.
The company also expects employee numbers to reach 267 in the coming weeks, with a further target of 308 during 2027. More than 200 of the planned roles would be based at Greatham. These are company forecasts, not confirmed appointments already completed.
Recruitment is continuing across engineering, operations, sales, information technology and customer service. Former workers have returned to the site, allowing the business to draw on knowledge of its equipment and processes. Such experience is valuable when commissioning complex plant because minor changes to operating conditions can influence yield, product quality and reliability.
Managing director Karen Askwith said the company was ahead of its own expectations for production volumes and grades. That assessment is encouraging, but no independently verified baseline or comparative production figures were published with the statement.
Tioxide has also opened a headquarters in Stockton-on-Tees, adding management and commercial functions to the manufacturing investment. The restart creates demand beyond the factory gates for maintenance contractors, specialist engineering services, transport providers and suppliers of industrial inputs.
The Teesside process-industry cluster offers established infrastructure and a workforce with relevant technical skills. Nonetheless, chemical manufacturing remains exposed to energy prices, raw-material availability, environmental requirements and international competition. Restoring plant capacity is one part of establishing a sustainable trading operation.
For customers, renewed domestic pigment production may offer another sourcing option, particularly where lead times and supply reliability influence procurement decisions. Whether it changes commercial terms will depend on prices, product acceptance and the volume the plant can consistently deliver.
The next important milestone is the commissioning of the second stream. Until then, the distinction between currently available grades, actual output and the planned 150,000-tonne nameplate capacity remains essential. Tioxide’s workforce expansion and sales performance will provide further evidence of whether the restart is becoming a durable industrial recovery. The announcement does not establish a date for sustained output at the full designed rate, which remains dependent on commissioning and future operating conditions.
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