Speciality chemicals manufacturer Croda International plc (www.croda.com) was joined by the Lord Mayor of Hull and local councillors earlier this month to ‘break ground’ on the £27 million expansion of its manufacturing facility in Hull.

Group chief executive Steve Foots officially handed over to project manager John Batty for work to start on an investment that will nearly double the existing capacity.

Mr Foots said: “We are hugely proud of our Yorkshire heritage, so I am delighted to mark the start of the construction phase of this major project — one of the largest capital investments we have ever made at any of our European operations.

“The project will combine cutting-edge technology with optimised production and process efficiencies, ensuring that we can continue to supply the highest-performing and most innovative products to our customers around the world.”

The Lord Mayor of Hull, Sean Chaytor, said: “I am delighted to be here today to witness this important milestone in Croda’s growth strategy, which will safeguard local jobs and create further opportunities in years to come.”