A dispute which stalled the construction of Britain’s biggest bioethanol plant has been resolved, it was confirmed last night.
Last month, The Northern Echo revealed how a crisis summit was called between Ensus, the company behind the £250m project at Wilton on Teesside, and main contractor Simon Carves, after rising tensions on the site.
It is understood that Simon Carves was in dispute with several of the site’s sub-contractors, and forced Ensus to intervene and call a meeting with the Cheshire-based firm.
Simon Carves has been at the helm of all design and construction since it began in early 2007 on the facility, which will have the capacity to convert 1.2 million tonnes of wheat into 400 million litres of fuel a year.
But last night, it was revealed that the dispute – which saw construction temporarily suspended and the site’s 1,000 workers sent home while a deal was thrashed out – has been resolved, and work is now progressing on target for the completion later this year.
Hugh Gillies, Simon Carves’ site manager, told The Northern Echo: “There was a fall-out here at the site, I can confirm that, but it has now been resolved. We are continuing in the role we have always had.
“There will always be ups and downs in projects involving commercial interests and when several sub-contractors are involved, but we have resolved the issues which existed a few weeks ago.
“The priority now is to work with Ensus and the subcontractors and move this on to a successful conclusion.”
During the dispute, the 1,000 workers on the site were all put on paid leave for 36 hours, bringing construction work to a halt for the third time in a few weeks.
The site had previously been paralysed when workers took unsanctioned action for six days in support of the dispute at the Lindsey oil refinery in late June.
Only weeks before that, workers took part in a national wildcat walk-out over contract labour.
Neither Ensus or Simon Carves had any involvement in either of the disputes.
Work is now progressing as normal ahead of completion, which is expected later this year.
A spokesman for Ensus last night confirmed that Simon Carves continues to be the main contractor on the site.
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