Thai Steelmaker Says To Create 1,000 Jobs In Britain

[rafish]

I do hope that they know what they are getting in to. Dealing with the unions will be a novelty and the workers won't accept living on a bowl of rice. I wonder what the works canteen will serve up and whether qualified masseuses will be available to easy aching muscles. I can't help thinking that this may turn out to be the comedy of the decade.

The chief exec is an English guy by the sound of his name. So I am sure that they must know what they are getting into?

jb1

One would assume that before making a 470 million investment, some sort of feasibility study would have been carried out. Incidentally, an Australian friend of mine, in Engineering, now buys all of his steel products from Thailand, because better made and better price.

Quality control must not be required. Most of these products are actually manufactured in China and then passed off as made in LOS. BTW, he's not deaf, dumb and blind is he?

[rafish]

Is the Thai company aware that wages in England are about 10 times that of LOS ? Ever heard of rabid British unions in the North ? When they say theyre going to hire 1000 workers; do they mean anglo saxons or Paki's Indians and Tamils .Please clarify.

I'm quite sure they have taken into account the wage bill, they own companies, they don't go multi national for nothing.

It will grate on peoples nerves that Thai people will employ Brits, but its a fact we will all have to face in the future, there ain't no more Rule Britannia, Britannia Rules the Waves.

In the future you want a job, you'll be working for Asian businessmen or going hungry cos there will be no more social security in UK, like there isn't in most of Asia now, things are changing, the once rich and powerful nations will be the slaves of The Asian Revolution !

Yup, and pigs will fly. :jap:

[rafish]

Another thread full of the usual bullshit.

It's amazing how many highly intelligent people, more intelligent than then multi-millionaire Thai business men need to do border runs.

Please excuse me, but what exactly is the sen-text of "than then," Highly intellegent people would not make such errors in grammar. But I'm just a snob myself and consider such errors worthy of response since you call out others as less intelligent than yourself. You leave the door open and in walks an evil person. Tourists make border runs and non-citizens due to the open love expressed to all foreign people in the LOS. Bring money, preferably lots of it, but please do not stay. If necessary make a border run for another 30 day visa. Then return to dump even more cash into the barrel. Love it, wish there were more like it. Can you feel the love? I certainly can. :jap:

[Bagwan]

I cannot believe that intelligent people think that they can set up a non-union shop in the North East. Are they also going to employ non unionists to move the steel? I have no doubt that they will have to deal with a trade union, and maybe more than one at that. In that part of the world it is a given.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Great news for Teesside, greetings to all expat "Smoggies" everywhere

Re "putting Thailand down" - In the west the workers fought against absolute monarchy, corrupt religions , exploitative bosses etc hundreds of years ago, the workers saw through all the brainwashing, personality cults and propaganda that was used to keep their wages low. That is why present day workers from the west have enough cash, pensions and benefits to settle in poor countries like Thailand that have HUGE gaps between top and bottom

The Thai workers could also have risen up and fought for their rights in the past, but they did NOT.

You don't know much about currency exchange rates do you? Gbp 1 buys you Bht 48. In Thailand, you can feed yourself on that. In the UK, can you? The reason that present day workers from the west settle in countries like Thailand is because they cannot afford to live in their own countries with their practically non-existent savings and rubbish pensions.

[Bkkorupcountry]

I cannot believe that intelligent people think that they can set up a non-union shop in the North East. Are they also going to employ non unionists to move the steel? I have no doubt that they will have to deal with a trade union, and maybe more than one at that. In that part of the world it is a given.

And that's why countries like the UK are on a downward spiral.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Another thread full of the usual bullshit.

It's amazing how many highly intelligent people, more intelligent than then multi-millionaire Thai business men need to do border runs.

Please excuse me, but what exactly is the sen-text of "than then," Highly intellegent people would not make such errors in grammar. But I'm just a snob myself and consider such errors worthy of response since you call out others as less intelligent than yourself. You leave the door open and in walks an evil person. Tourists make border runs and non-citizens due to the open love expressed to all foreign people in the LOS. Bring money, preferably lots of it, but please do not stay. If necessary make a border run for another 30 day visa. Then return to dump even more cash into the barrel. Love it, wish there were more like it. Can you feel the love? I certainly can. :jap:

You might want to edit your typo highlighted above.

Now, why would a "tourist" want to make a border run? Isn't 30 days long enough? Otherwise, they aren't tourists but merely staying here illegally, right?

[Bkkorupcountry]

A foriegn company buying land in Uk I wonder if they had to go and get a Uk girl to be a trustee and buy it in her name.

I often wonder who owns the British Embassy on Wireless road, I heard it was Nok from the Buffalo bar .

So much for reciprocal agreements.

They have bought a redundant moth balled company and not the land as such. In addition to this they are going to be employing 1,000 workers in an employment deficit zone which I'm sure that a lot of people in the area are going to be absolutely delighted about!!! So let's be thankful and not compare Thailands idiotic land ownership rights laws with what this company is doing.

As long as it is accepted that Thailand does have idiotic land ownership rights is all I was pointing out. However I am unsure as to how you know that the SSI bought just the company and not the land as such, becaue they could if they wanted to. and would be foolish if they did'nt as the developed land would then increase in Value.

First rule,- secure tenure.

Why is not allowing foreigners or foreign companies to buy land idiotic? I for one think this is a very smart move on the part of Thailand and that the Thais are very much happy about this.

[endure]

Here's an article from the local NorthEast business mag. I remember when Toyota built a plant in Derbyshire we had all the moaning minnies telling us that we were being bought out by the Nippon hordes and that the world was coming to an end. That same Toyota plant is presently producing cars for the whole of Europe and actually exporting certain models back to Japan. Every time they advertise for new staff they're deluged in applications.

"A NORTH East steel plant which has been mothballed for the past year was today sold to a firm from Thailand, raising the prospect of hundreds of new jobs.

SSI, Thailand’s largest steel maker, finalised an agreement to buy the Corus Teesside Cast Products site in Redcar.

Unions and local politicians welcomed the new announcement from SSI and Tata, which owns the Corus steel company in the UK.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said the deal would help to secure 700 jobs at the plant.

He said: "This deal is very good news for workers at the Teesside plant and the region. I welcome the return of steelmaking to this historic steel site later this year.

"Coming just over a year after the plant was mothballed, it is a tribute to both companies involved - Tata Steel and SSI.

"Both parties have worked hard since August to reach a successful outcome on what has been a complex negotiation.

"This is a significant inward investment by SSI which will help to sustain the 700 jobs at the plant and create new ones at the site and the wider local economy."

Unite national officer Paul Reuter said: "I’m delighted this deal has been put together and it’s a testament to the determination of the workforce to save the plant.

"The successful sale is the result of the unions, Tata, SSI and the local community working together."

The deal values the business at 469 million dollars (£291m).

The acquisition is expected to lead to the creation of more than 800 jobs on top of the existing workforce of 700 at the steel plant, which will be brought back into full operation. The news comes a year after the plant was mothballed in February 2010.

TCP has the second-largest blast furnace in Europe and slab production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes per year.

The production facilities include iron-making facilities, steel-making facilities and the infrastructure and logistics facilities required to support full production.

The announcement follows a memorandum of understanding signed between SSI and Tata in August last year. The transaction is expected to be completed in four to six weeks.

Karl-Ulrich Kohler, who heads Tata Steel in Europe, said: "I am very encouraged that after all our efforts we have been able to reach this agreement, which is good news for the highly skilled and dedicated Teesside workforce.

"I commend SSI, the Government and the trade unions for their roles in bringing about this agreement, and in particular the people of Teesside for the spirit and fortitude they have shown throughout the last, difficult two years."

"I should point out that Tata Steel intends to retain a major presence in Teesside. After the successful completion of this transaction, Tata Steel will remain one of the largest private sector employers in the area with more than 1,800 employees."

Win Viriyaprapaikit, president of SSI, said: "This is a historic moment for both Teesside and SSI, one that would not have been possible without the local community’s passion for steel-making and the help of the UK Government. We look forward to resuming production of the top quality slab for which the plant is renowned as soon as possible.

"Owning Teesside Cast Products will enable us to achieve our long-standing ambition of becoming a fully integrated steel producer. This transaction will give us a strong platform for future growth, increase our resilience to industry cycles and give us opportunities to diversify into new markets and products."

Jimmy Skivington, GMB regional organiser for engineering on Teesside, said: "GMB welcome the fact that there will be an announcement this afternoon that the steel making plant at Redcar is to reopen with the prospect of between 600 to 800 jobs in a hard pressed community that has suffered badly from the banker recession."

Michael Leahy, chairman of the National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee and general secretary of Community, said: "This is truly wonderful news for Teesside steelworkers and the wider community.

"I cannot recall a more positive development in over 40 years of my involvement in the UK steel industry. To think that a year ago today was the eve of the mothballing and we have now saved our steel is fantastic.

"This has been a collective effort from all sides, including shuttle diplomacy by the unions to India and Thailand in search of a deal.

"It is a great tribute in particular to SSI for their perseverance and faith in Teesside steelworkers.""

[RickBradford]

This plant was originally closed by Tata (its ultimate Indian owner) because it helped them stay inside their EU 'carbon allowance'. Tata moved production back to India where they can spew any old crap into the atmosphere because they aren't covered by the emissions thing. They also picked up nearly $1 billion in 'carbon allowances' for an action that cost 1600 British jobs.

The Thai owners have been assured that the 'carbon allowance' folly will be waived under 'special treatment' in their case if they decide on expansion of the plant.

So, we're back where we started, except a bunch of British workers have had 18 months lay-off and the British government has given $1 billion to India to pollute the Asian skies.

If by now anyone doesn't think this 'carbon allowance' notion is damaging nonsense, I urge them to undertake a CAT scan at their earliest opportunity.

[GM1955]

Yup, and pigs will fly. :jap:

I'm quite sure that English Teachers and Sex Tourists will point Thailand in the right direction.

[osiboy]

I often wonder who owns the British Embassy on Wireless road, I heard it was Nok from the Buffalo bar .

Ugh, have you been there recently? Not a british person in sight and all the Thai are blunt rude except for the people behind the actual desks.

They're all Brit, check their passports. Some of them are running your businesses and one was recently the Prime Minister of Thailand. How did you miss that one? Never mind, Briton's got a long way to go before they're taken over by the masses of Thai's begging for entry and citizenship in the Queens country. The third largest population of Thai's by city is Los Angles, California. 1st is Bangkok and second is Chiang Mai. I think London's got a ways to goas the majority of foreign residents appear to be from India, British West Indies, Haiti, Africa and the entire Abdul Mohammed family from Pakistan numbering 12 million members at last count. All previously mentioned British citizens contribute to the overall quality of life to be found in London and further afield in greater parts of the UK. Shall we toast to the new and prosperous enterprise of "steel making/pot metal works," over priced and over paid for by the UK's latest sucker looking for a future in England. Cheers mates!!!

by " quality of life " do you mean that these immigrants have improved it or down graded it ??,...... i moved out of london when we were one of the last indigenous families in the street and will never return except to catch a flight, the smell of curry and B.O 24/7.. is not an improvement to my quality of life , it made me feel like throwing up on my way to work,....further more half of them hate the brits and any asian business employ only their own creed !!!,.............. something white brits would find impossible to do !!

[GM1955]

by " quality of life " do you mean that these immigrants have improved it or down graded it ??,...... i moved out of london when we were one of the last indigenous families in the street and will never return except to catch a flight, the smell of curry and B.O 24/7.. is not an improvement to my quality of life , it made me feel like throwing up on my way to work,....further more half of them hate the brits and any asian business employ only their own creed !!!,.............. something white brits would find impossible to do !!

But we liked their 24 hour shops.

[witsawakorn]

I just wonder how much is being paid in incentives by the UK government

Possibly less than the SS payments that it it is currently making to the ex Tata workers who got dumped. Will watch this story with interest. Chok Dee to SSI I say.

[Gonsalviz]

Great news for Teesside, greetings to all expat "Smoggies" everywhere

Re "putting Thailand down" - In the west the workers fought against absolute monarchy, corrupt religions , exploitative bosses etc hundreds of years ago, the workers saw through all the brainwashing, personality cults and propaganda that was used to keep their wages low. That is why present day workers from the west have enough cash, pensions and benefits to settle in poor countries like Thailand that have HUGE gaps between top and bottom

The Thai workers could also have risen up and fought for their rights in the past, but they did NOT.

I'd bet the Indians got out because of you fighters.

[MrsMills]

Yup, and pigs will fly. :jap:

I'm quite sure that English Teachers and Sex Tourists will point Thailand in the right direction.

Farangs think they are so important. They cant actually believe that what they say here has any bearing on the running of a country they CHOOSE to stay in !!

They had votes in their own countries, and look what happened there !!!!!

Edited July 28, 2011 by MrsMills

[MrsMills]

Yup, and pigs will fly. :jap:

I'm quite sure that English Teachers and Sex Tourists will point Thailand in the right direction.

Of course, they know more than Thai businessmen, the fact that the Thai businessmen may be multimillionaires means nothing, the English Teachers and Sex Tourists know best, after all, they're Farang.

And Farangs always know best, take a look at Farang countries and the fine job they have made of totally screwing themselves up.

Hopefully, Thailand will learn from the mistakes of the west and actually prosper.

Edited July 28, 2011 by MrsMills

[baboon]

Churchill is dead. The Empire is gone. The UK is skint. America is skint. Our money is not worth much.

I hardly think we are in much of a position to pick and choose anymore. money is money. We need it.

[ginjag]

Yup, and pigs will fly. :jap:

I'm quite sure that English Teachers and Sex Tourists will point Thailand in the right direction.

Of course, they know more than Thai businessmen, the fact that the Thai businessmen may be multimillionaires means nothing, the English Teachers and Sex Tourists know best, after all, they're Farang.

And Farangs always know best, take a look at Farang countries and the fine job they have made of totally screwing themselves up.

Hopefully, Thailand will learn from the mistakes of the west and actually prosper.

Oh ! out of the woodwork here's our own lovely ANTI farang pianist playing the same old tune.

You may have made some true comments,BUT we are NOT all sex tourists, or teachers.

Maybe for a change you could come up with Ideas on the topic ?? but I forgot it's your bit of fun to attack farangs here. Because it got screwed up in the U.K.a little- hence the reason for being here, "a change is as good as a rest". still nice to see you back

[MrsMills]

still nice to see you back

Thanks mate, good to see a Thai company giving a few jobs to some Brits, probably doing something different to Brit industrialists that have given all the jobs to Asian workers.

Edited July 28, 2011 by MrsMills

[MrsMills]

still nice to see you back

Thanks mate, good to see a Thai company giving a few jobs to some Brits, probably doing something different to Brit industrialists that have given all the jobs to Asian workers.

Thing is, when the Thai boss realises how lazy Farangs really are, they'll take all the jobs back to Thailand.

Farang 0 - Thailand 1000.

[Bagwan]

I can't help thinking about how successful Thai business people brought their success about. Any ideas? Is it because they allow no meaningful foreign competition? Is it because they ignore commercial legislation when it suits them? Does anybody here really believe that large Thai corporations are kosher? Why is Thailand paying through the nose for all the ex-pat workers from developed countries?

I note the posting above in respect of carbon credits. Could this Thai 'takeover' just be a sham and they are being used as proxies? Just musing. I do not see anything too alarming about foreign investment in the UK. Americans might be set back if they knew just how much of their country is owned by the UK. BTW just how much does Thailand shell out in foreign aid? Can't afford to? Ho hum.

The role played by the unions in bringing this deal about was to be expected. It will be an education for the management assuming that they are not locally recruited. The farther north that one travels in the UK the more likely that the populace is exploited by management or the unions or sometimes both.

[ginjag]

still nice to see you back

Thanks mate, good to see a Thai company giving a few jobs to some Brits, probably doing something different to Brit industrialists that have given all the jobs to Asian workers.

Thing is, when the Thai boss realises how lazy Farangs really are, they'll take all the jobs back to Thailand.

Farang 0 - Thailand 1000.

Lazy in Thailand is not known, because it is quite normal. The boss wouldn't realise and as for employing Thais or many foreigners pick me a selected English crew any day .

Thai staff work if being supervised constantly, most workers unsupervised do the work how they want in general. (there are a few exceptions) not many.

My comments are not Knocking Thais Mrs Mills just experience at first hand.

Hope the Thai company does well, but after other companies failures, it will be a hard nut to crack. Yes and who will they employ ????? same here cheap jack workers for high profits.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Thing is, when the Thai boss realises how lazy Farangs really are, they'll take all the jobs back to Thailand.

Farang 0 - Thailand 1000.

Lazy in Thailand is not known, because it is quite normal. The boss wouldn't realise and as for employing Thais or many foreigners pick me a selected English crew any day .

Thai staff work if being supervised constantly, most workers unsupervised do the work how they want in general. (there are a few exceptions) not many.

My comments are not Knocking Thais Mrs Mills just experience at first hand.

Hope the Thai company does well, but after other companies failures, it will be a hard nut to crack. Yes and who will they employ ????? same here cheap jack workers for high profits.

Many people, Asian and Farang, generally accept that the Asians are harder working than western Caucasians. This could have come about as a result of culture and the need to improve their lives whereas in Europe, the people there already have a high standard of living and therefore focus a lot more on leisure time.

[ginjag]

Thing is, when the Thai boss realises how lazy Farangs really are, they'll take all the jobs back to Thailand.

Farang 0 - Thailand 1000.

Lazy in Thailand is not known, because it is quite normal. The boss wouldn't realise and as for employing Thais or many foreigners pick me a selected English crew any day .

Thai staff work if being supervised constantly, most workers unsupervised do the work how they want in general. (there are a few exceptions) not many.

My comments are not Knocking Thais Mrs Mills just experience at first hand.

Hope the Thai company does well, but after other companies failures, it will be a hard nut to crack. Yes and who will they employ ????? same here cheap jack workers for high profits.

Many people, Asian and Farang, generally accept that the Asians are harder working than western Caucasians. This could have come about as a result of culture and the need to improve their lives whereas in Europe, the people there already have a high standard of living and therefore focus a lot more on leisure time.

Many maybe but not many. But I understand that you know from experience of employing them??

whether the types that have some money to be able to travel abroad and work generally are a different breed to Thai that work outside of tourist areas. Local Thai are the majority of the workers that I come across, and seeing is believing, most are lazy, shoddy in their work, smoke all day and drink cheap whiskey, The majority of Thai Men in particular are usually unskilled, and were taught by watching how their uncle worked. but as you say and you are correct many are hard working.

[parmo1]

I think you are talking about government cash, US and UK governments may be bankrupt, the US GOVERNMENT deficit is 14 trillion dollars (UK's more per head), but this is still peanuts when you consider 4 trillion dollars is traded on the currency markets EVERY DAY. Apple Inc. has more cash than the USA government, it is all about capitalist games, the Fed is an institution owned by consortium of US banks, they are just trying to grab more of the country's wealth. They have pumped up all the markets for the last 30 years, now they are deflating everything, but it is the ordinary people who will pay with their devalued paper dollars and pounds (at least pounds are pretty and classy)

Churchill is dead. The Empire is gone. The UK is skint. America is skint. Our money is not worth much.

I hardly think we are in much of a position to pick and choose anymore. money is money. We need it.

[parmo1]

Of course Thailand is a developping country, all Western countries and Japan (Sararymen working 80 hour weeks), and Korea were like Thailand many years ago.In the past workers in the west were like in Thailand, completely exploited by lazy bast*rd bosses, like in Thailand NOW.

My grandad used to work 6 night shifts at the steel works, in the west we have PASSED the greedy capitalist era and the workers have fought for rights, democracy, Thai workers have NOT.

Asians workers in 1st countries, Japan, Korea, Singapore have become like in the west, creative, educated, for Thailand this is still a distant dream

BYW Teesside steel was used to build MOST London stations,the Thames barrier, Sydney Harbour bridge, the Memorial Bridge the most famous bridge in Bangkok, and the world's longest bridges in China and Denmark etc etc

Thing is, when the Thai boss realises how lazy Farangs really are, they'll take all the jobs back to Thailand.

Farang 0 - Thailand 1000.

Lazy in Thailand is not known, because it is quite normal. The boss wouldn't realise and as for employing Thais or many foreigners pick me a selected English crew any day .

Thai staff work if being supervised constantly, most workers unsupervised do the work how they want in general. (there are a few exceptions) not many.

My comments are not Knocking Thais Mrs Mills just experience at first hand.

Hope the Thai company does well, but after other companies failures, it will be a hard nut to crack. Yes and who will they employ ????? same here cheap jack workers for high profits.

Many people, Asian and Farang, generally accept that the Asians are harder working than western Caucasians. This could have come about as a result of culture and the need to improve their lives whereas in Europe, the people there already have a high standard of living and therefore focus a lot more on leisure time.

Edited July 29, 2011 by parmo1

[Bkkorupcountry]

Thing is, when the Thai boss realises how lazy Farangs really are, they'll take all the jobs back to Thailand.

Farang 0 - Thailand 1000.

Lazy in Thailand is not known, because it is quite normal. The boss wouldn't realise and as for employing Thais or many foreigners pick me a selected English crew any day .

Thai staff work if being supervised constantly, most workers unsupervised do the work how they want in general. (there are a few exceptions) not many.

My comments are not Knocking Thais Mrs Mills just experience at first hand.

Hope the Thai company does well, but after other companies failures, it will be a hard nut to crack. Yes and who will they employ ????? same here cheap jack workers for high profits.

Many people, Asian and Farang, generally accept that the Asians are harder working than western Caucasians. This could have come about as a result of culture and the need to improve their lives whereas in Europe, the people there already have a high standard of living and therefore focus a lot more on leisure time.

Many maybe but not many. But I understand that you know from experience of employing them??

whether the types that have some money to be able to travel abroad and work generally are a different breed to Thai that work outside of tourist areas. Local Thai are the majority of the workers that I come across, and seeing is believing, most are lazy, shoddy in their work, smoke all day and drink cheap whiskey, The majority of Thai Men in particular are usually unskilled, and were taught by watching how their uncle worked. but as you say and you are correct many are hard working.

Yes, I know from experience of both working with and employing both Asians and Europeans (including Brits).

I agree that the more educated ones tend to be harder working but having said that, I see also a lot of poor uneducated that really tries and works very hard. My personal experience in Europe is that the more rural folk (such as farmers) put in an honest day's grind whereas the city workers (not banking) tend to take it a lot easier.

It is a shame that like you said, the majority of Thai men are usually unskilled and adopt too much of the sabai sabai culture. To a certain extent, a lot get demotivated as they don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of the effort that they put in.

[Jogden]

One would assume that before making a 470 million investment, some sort of feasibility study would have been carried out. Incidentally, an Australian friend of mine, in Engineering, now buys all of his steel products from Thailand, because better made and better price.

Quality control must not be required. Most of these products are actually manufactured in China and then passed off as made in LOS. BTW, he's not deaf, dumb and blind is he?

Errm, i beg to differ but Thailand makes it's own steel and they do manufacture good quality steel. Try and google Thai steel mills?

[Bkkorupcountry]

Errm, i beg to differ but Thailand makes it's own steel and they do manufacture good quality steel. Try and google Thai steel mills?

And your point being?