Exciting times ahead for the Humber after Siemens makes a South Bank appearance
HOURS after Siemens announced a £310-million investment with ABP in Hull, officials from the global engineering giant were on the South Bank talking to local businesses.
Team Humber Marine Alliance director Mark O’Reilly and RenewableUK deputy chief executive Maf Smith hosted an impromptu visit by Siemens representatives to Forest Pines Hotel to meet local businesses as part of RenewableUK’s Connect event on Tuesday evening, on the eve of the THMA second annual conference. Reflecting on the announcement, Mr O’Reilly said: “It was a momentous day for the Humber.”
Joking about the coincidental timing of the event, just hours after Prime Minister David Cameron had landed at Humberside to meet Siemens and ABP, he said: “We planned it to make sure Siemens made the investment!”
Attracting Matthew Knight from Siemens to say a few words on the opening evening, Mr O’Reilly said: “He was almost quite emotional. He couldn’t believe the amount of smiling faces he had seen in the day.”
Mr Smith, who grew up in Barton, said: “It is great news for the Humber and means a lot to the supply chain.
“I was one of those kids whose parents said ‘go to university’; code for ‘there’s another world out there’.
“If I was a kid growing up now I would see for myself stuff I am interested in, stuff I can do.
“We can have Siemens and Able’s development within five miles of where I used to live. It is all going on in Grimsby and the Humber in terms of manufacturing, construction, operations and maintenance.”
Paul Lawrence, Lincolnshire construction firm Waldeck’s Grimsby-based engineering and infrastructure business manager, said: “It was great to see investment like that come to the region.”
The second annual conference was a huge success, with more than 200 delegates attracted to the event.
They heard from key figures in the industry. Reports will follow.