Humber Energy CHP

The southern shore of the Humber Estuary in England features a low population density but has witnessed extensive industrial expansion since the 1950s. This development includes vast petroleum and chemical manufacturing facilities as well as gas-fired power plants with capacities reaching gigawatt levels.

Initially, the area was largely undeveloped apart from the medieval port of Grimsby and smaller harbors at Barton upon Humber and Barrow upon Humber. Industrial growth began in the 19th century, centered on brick and tile production utilizing local clay deposits, alongside chalk quarrying near the Lincolnshire Wolds to support cement manufacturing. During this era, Grimsby experienced growth, marked by the opening of Immingham Dock in 1911 and the establishment of a significant cement factory near South Ferriby in 1938. By the 1950s, most brick and tile factories had ceased operations.

Starting in the 1950s, chemical manufacturing plants were established between Immingham and Grimsby, accompanied by two major oil refineries constructed south of Immingham Dock during the 1960s. Throughout the 20th century, both oil refining and chemical production sectors expanded, although some chemical facilities contracted towards the century’s end.

Entering the 21st century, multiple combined cycle gas turbine power stations were commissioned, some designed to provide steam to adjacent petroleum and chemical industries. Former clay extraction areas were transformed into recreational water parks near Barton.

Historical Context

The port of Grimsby originated as a prominent medieval market town with a focus on fishing trade. From the 14th century onward, international commerce diminished due to rivalry from ports such as Hull, Boston, and those associated with the Hanseatic League. Consequently, trade shifted towards coastal and inland waterways, involving commodities like food products, coal imported from Newcastle, and peat from Yorkshire. The population declined from approximately 1,400 in 1377 to around 400 by the early 18th century. A new dock designed by John Rennie the Elder was inaugurated in 1800. The arrival of railway connections via the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in the 1840s alongside dock expansions revitalized port activity. Additional docks were constructed between 1850 and 1900, with a third fish dock added in 1934 to accommodate growing demand. Rail networks linked Grimsby with South Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Midlands; port throughput increased dramatically from 163,000 tons in the 1850s to over 3.7 million tons by 1911. By 1934, Grimsby accounted for roughly one-fifth of all UK fish landings. The town’s population expanded from 1,500 in 1801 to about 92,000 by 1931. Nearby Cleethorpes evolved into a residential district and seaside resort during this period.

Throughout the 20th century, industries connected to port activities dominated Grimsby’s economy—fishing remained central and supported food processing sectors, particularly frozen food production. In the late 1960s approximately 3,500 people were employed in fishing; food-related industries provided jobs for nearly 10,000 workers (with about 6,000 involved in fish processing); shipbuilding and repair employed some 2,500 individuals; additional employment was found in engineering and timber sectors. Most industrial operations were situated on dock estates west of the town center.

Immingham Dock, opened in 1911 by the Great Central Railway, primarily handled coal exports. Its position on a deep channel within the Humber allowed accommodation of vessels up to 30,000 deadweight tonnage. During the interwar years, industries developed on the north bank including petroleum refining at Salt End (BP Saltend), metal smelting and cement production at Melton (Capper Pass and Humber Cement Works), as well as aircraft manufacturing at Brough (Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company, later part of British Aerospace).

The fishing sector experienced a sharp downturn during the 1970s and 1980s—declining to less than 15% of its peak tonnage from 1970 by 1983—attributable to rising fuel prices (1973 fuel crisis), depletion of fish stocks, Iceland’s exclusion zones (cod war), and fishing restrictions imposed by the EEC. Despite this contraction, Grimsby maintained approximately a 20% market share due to imports facilitated by Icelandic vessels along with others from Norway, Faroes, Denmark, Belgium, and Holland, reinforcing its status as a principal UK fish port.

Industrial Expansion (Post-1950)

Following the Second World War, the Humber bank area and its surroundings between Grimsby and Immingham were developed to accommodate capital-intensive sectors such as petroleum refining and chemical manufacturing. Strategic advantages included close proximity to the modern Immingham port, extensive expanses of affordable flat terrain, and direct access to the Humber estuary for waste discharge. This zone was earmarked for 'special' industries involving hazardous operations, leading major industrial groups to secure large land holdings and establish production facilities.

Between 1946 and 1953, Grimsby Corporation procured substantial land tracts, enhancing transportation infrastructure to attract industrial investors. Additionally, a site in Great Coates was converted into a light industrial estate. Prominent industrial entrants included British Titan Products (1949, titanium dioxide pigment production), Fisons (1950, phosphate fertilizer manufacturing), CIBA Laboratories (1951, pharmaceutical products), Laporte Industries (1953, titanium dioxide pigment), and Courtaulds (1957, viscose and acrylic fibres). By 1961, approximately of land had been developed, supporting employment for over 4,000 workers. The availability of freshwater from the chalk aquifer posed a constraint; by the 1960s these companies collectively consumed around daily, approaching sustainable extraction limits.

In the late 1960s, two oil refineries near Immingham—operated by (Total-Fina and Continental Oil)—received supplies through an estuarine pier at Tetney. While rail connections were initially robust, road infrastructure lagged behind; subsequent government programs authorized significant road projects including the construction of the M180 motorway, M62 motorway, and the Humber Bridge to improve accessibility.

Several ambitious projects were proposed but ultimately not executed: a 4 GW oil-fired power plant at Killingholme was shelved following the 1973 oil crisis; the site was later evaluated for nuclear waste storage and coal-fired power generation but only saw a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) station erected around 1993. Plans for land reclamation at Pyewipe west of Grimsby were technically viable but financially prohibitive. Dow Chemicals acquired in the 1970s but did not pursue extensive development.

By 1987, employment on the South Humber bank reached approximately 9,000 jobs, excluding figures from Grimsby-Cleethorpes and rural areas of North Lincolnshire.

During the 1990s gas expansion period, several large-scale combined cycle gas turbine power stations were commissioned: National Power and Powergen near North Killingholme with capacities of 665 MW and 900 MW respectively; Humber Power Ltd., phased between 1994 and 1999 with a total output of about 1.2 GW; and ConocoPhillips’ combined heat and power facility supplying both Lindsey and Humber refineries with roughly 1.2 GW capacity by 2009.

The Humber Sea Terminal at North Killingholme Haven operates as a modern RO-RO port managed by Simon Group Ltd (a subsidiary of C.RO Ports SA), featuring six terminals developed between 2000 and 2007.

Despite this industrial surge, northern Lincolnshire maintained its largely agricultural character into the early decades of the 21st century.

Company	Founded	Overview
British Titan Products	1949	Established near Great Coates focusing on titanium dioxide pigment production via the sulphur process. Initial output was 20,000 tonnes annually, expanding to 100,000 tonnes in the 1960s. Renamed BTP Tioxide around 1976; became part of Huntsman Corporation in 1999. Due to market oversupply and competition, operations ceased in 2009; site listed for sale in 2013. A remaining on-site combined heat and power plant with a capacity of 22 MW continues operation.
Fisons	1950	Fertilizer manufacturing near Immingham Dock specializing in superphosphate and compound fertilizers. ICI supplied ammonia via a dedicated plant operational by 1966. Fisons sold its fertilizer division to Norsk Hydro in 1982; Norsk Hydro expanded ammonium nitrate output but closed plants by 2000 leading to layoffs. In 2004 fertilizer operations were spun off as Yara International, which maintains a dry ice facility and liquid fertilizer distribution center at Immingham.
CIBA	1951	Chemical and pharmaceutical production near Great Coates initially focused on antibacterial agents; later diversified into agrochemicals, plastics intermediates, and pharmaceuticals. Became part of Ciba-Geigy (1971) and subsequently Novartis (1996). Underwent major expansions including a £230 million investment in 1992 that incorporated combined heat and power generation. Allied Colloids nearby was acquired by Ciba Specialty Chemicals in 1998; later integrated into BASF Performance Products.
Laporte Titanium	1953	National Titanium Pigments Ltd., later Laporte Titanium Ltd., initiated titanium dioxide pigment production near Immingham using sulphur process technology with subsequent additions of chloride process capacity. The titanium dioxide business was sold to SCM Corporation in the mid-1980s; SCM was acquired by Hanson plc then Millennium Chemicals before purchase by Saudi Arabian company Cristal Global in 2007. In 2019 Cristal was acquired by Tronox, with portions sold to British firm Ineos. The site experienced significant safety incidents involving titanium tetrachloride in 2010 resulting in production halts.
John Bull Rubber	1955	Facility near Grimsby producing rubber hoses; taken over by Dunlop in 1959; remained operational as Dunlop Oil & Marine as of 2012.
Courtaulds	1957	Established facilities producing viscose and acrylic fibres on Humber bank with peak workforce around 2,800 employees. Declined during the 1980s due to international competition. Acquired by Akzo Nobel in 1998 forming Accordis; assets sold to Lenzing Group in 2004 focusing on Lyocell/Tencel fibre production (~40,000 tonnes per year). Other plants entered administration mid-2000s; site redeveloped with approval granted for new business park in 2015. A gas-powered combined heat and power station on-site was spun off as Humber Energy Ltd. sold to GDF Suez subsidiary Cofely in 2013.
Harco / Doverstrand / Revertex	1963	Synthetic latex production near Stallingborough established by Doverstrand Ltd., a joint venture between Revertex/International Latex; expanded mid-1960s producing styrene-butadiene rubber latices. Revertex produced liquid polybutadiene resins from mid-1970s onward. Harco joint venture formed with Hoechst for chemical manufacturing; resin emulsion plant opened late-1970s near Stallingborough. Revertex acquired by Yule Catto in 1981; Doverstrand renamed Synthomer Ltd. in 1995. Harco merged into Synthomer in 2002. Latex production ceased late-2011 with new adhesive chemical facilities introduced around 2012.
Total-Fina	1968	Lindsey Oil Refinery established on a 373 acres (151 ha) site with initial refining capacity approximately three million tons per year expanded over following decades to about nine million six hundred thousand tons including catalytic cracking and desulphurization units. Experienced labor strikes over employment practices in 2009 causing delays to upgrades; a fire incident in 2010 resulted in one fatality and further setbacks. Announced plans to sell refinery in 2010 citing market overcapacity but halted sale efforts by late 2011.
Continental Oil	1969	Humber Oil Refinery founded on 380 acres (150 ha) site with initial refining capacity near four million five hundred thousand tons per year including benzene production and petroleum coke processing facilities. Supplied via Tetney monobuoy terminal connected through pipeline infrastructure. Experienced fire and explosion event in 2001.
Humber Power Ltd.	1997/1999	South Humber Bank Power Station constructed adjacent to Humber Estuary featuring phased development totaling roughly one point two six six gigawatts capacity utilizing ABB Alstom GT13E2 gas turbines alongside steam turbines. Ownership transitioned from consortium including TotalFinaElf to Centrica which gained full ownership by mid-2000s. In early-to-mid-2010s Centrica considered divestment but retained station while reducing output; invested £63 million on turbine refurbishment enhancing capacity.
ConocoPhillips	2004	Combined heat and power station located next to ConocoPhillips Humber Oil Refinery with initial output around seven hundred thirty-four megawatts using GE gas turbines coupled with steam turbines supplying thermal energy to adjacent refineries; capacity expanded to approximately one thousand one hundred eighty megawatts by 2009 following installation of additional turbines. Acquired by Vitol in 2013.
National Power	1994	Developed combined cycle gas-fired power plant near North Killingholme with total capacity about six hundred sixty-five megawatts comprising three gas turbines plus steam turbine supplied under turnkey contract by NEI ABB Gas Turbines Ltd. Purchased by NRG Energy (£410 million) in 2000 then Centrica (£142 million) in 2004 amid declining electricity prices. Centrica sought buyers during early-to-mid-2010s but closure discussions commenced due to lack of offers.
Powergen	1992	Built combined cycle gas-fired power station (~900 MW) near North Killingholme; equipped with water cooling system installed in 1996 to reduce visible plume formation. Temporarily mothballed due to low electricity prices in 2002 but restarted operations by 2005. Closure plans announced June 2015.

South Ferriby – Immingham

Barton upon Humber has origins predating the Norman Conquest and historically served as a significant Humber ferry crossing. Although it was once a prominent port, its importance waned following the founding of Kingston upon Hull around 1300. Nevertheless, Barton remained a crucial center for north Lincolnshire, with a population of approximately 1,700 in 1801, exceeding that of Grimsby at the time. The locality supported industries such as brick and tile production thanks to its favorable clay soils, while chalk quarrying has been documented since at least 1790. Other notable 19th-century trades included whiting manufacturing, rope making, tanning, and agricultural commerce.

Clay and chalk based industries

Clay extraction for tile production at Barton upon Humber dates back to the 18th century. During the 19th century, numerous brick and tile factories flourished, especially after the repeal of the Brick tax in 1850. By 1892, establishments like Ness End, Humber Brick and Tile, and Blyth's Ing extended roughly a mile along the Humber's edge. The number of operational sites diminished in the early 20th century; by the 1970s, most had closed due to exhaustion of raw materials. Some facilities utilized industrial railways to link clay pits with manufacturing plants—for instance, clay was transported from Humber Brick & Tile works to G.T. Earle's cement factory in Wilmington, Kingston upon Hull around 1893–1900. Several Barton brick and tile operations had shut down by the 1950s. As of 2009, Blyth's tile works at Hoe Hill remained active on a limited scale using traditional craftsmanship.

The clay extraction and brickmaking industry extended eastward along the Humber bank with sites at Barrow Haven, New Holland—including Old Ferry Brick Works and Barrow Tileries—and further east toward South Killingholme Haven, South Ferriby, and near Ferriby Sluice. Clay from pits near North Killingholme Haven (1909–13) and later between Barton and Barrow (1913–69) supplied cement plants such as G.T. Earle's Stoneferry and Wilmington facilities.

In the 1890s, George Henry Skelsey secured public funding to establish the Port Adamant Works cement plant at Barton. This facility sourced both clay and chalk on-site, with chalk transported via a short narrow-gauge railway from New Cliff chalk quarry. Initially operating chamber kilns with a weekly output near 330 tons, production increased following the introduction of shaft kilns around 1901. After becoming part of British Portland Cement Manufacturers in 1911, a rotary kiln was installed in 1912. The plant ceased operations in 1927 after its parent company acquired larger facilities such as Humber Cement Works and Hope Cement Works.

Nearby chalk quarries included Barton Cliff Quarry and Leggott's Quarry (also called "Ferriby Quarry"), both connected by short rail spurs to the shoreline. These quarries supplied chalk to G.T. Earle's plants at Stoneferry and Wilmington.

In 1938, Eastwoods Ltd opened a cement factory near South Ferriby west of Ferriby Sluice. The original installation featured one rotary kiln using the wet process with a daily output of approximately 200 tons. Chalk was extracted from Middlegate quarry southeast of South Ferriby and transported by aerial ropeway; clay was obtained from adjacent deposits west of the plant. Ownership transitioned through Rugby Portland Cement Co. Ltd (1962), Rugby Group (1979), RMC Group (2000), and finally CEMEX (2005). Technological improvements included adding a semi-dry process rotary kiln in 1967, expanding quarrying beneath chalk layers in 1974 with conveyor systems for material handling, and installing a second rotary kiln in 1978.

Tile production continues today with Goxhill Tileries, part of the Wienerberger group through Sandtoft, located east of New Holland near the former site of Quebec brickyard. Founded in 1904 initially as a brick manufacturer, Sandtoft began producing tiles at Goxhill in 1934 and expanded its concrete tile manufacturing capacity throughout the twentieth century.

BritAg fertilizers

In 1874, "The Farmers Company" founded a fertilizer manufacturing facility at Barton, situated near the riverbank to the east of the Haven. By 1968, the site saw the introduction of new chemical fertilizer production under A.C.C. (Associated Chemical Companies), which included plants producing 180 tonnes per day of Nitric acid, 317 tonnes per day of ammonium nitrate, and 475 tonnes per day of fertilizer. In 1965, A.C.C. was fully integrated as a subsidiary into Albright and Wilson, bringing the Barton plant under its control.

Later, in 1983, ICI acquired Albright and Wilson's fertilizer operations. Facing a shrinking market share within the UK, ICI decided to close the Barton plant along with other fertilizer production sites during the late 1980s. Subsequently, ownership of the location transferred to Glanford borough, which redeveloped the area—including former brickworks—into what is now known as the Water's Edge park.

Other

In 1992, Kimberly-Clark established a significant nappy manufacturing facility near Barton upon Humber, investing approximately £100,000 to produce Huggies nappies. The factory ceased operations in 2013 when Kimberly-Clark ended most of its European nappy production. Following this closure, Wren Kitchens acquired the premises in August 2013 and repurposed the factory into their headquarters encompassing manufacturing and warehousing functions. In April 2020, Wren announced a £130 million expansion plan for their Barton site.

Additionally, Barton-upon-Humber features private wharfs located at Waterside, Barrow Haven, and New Holland.

Redevelopments

By 1955, the brickworks situated on the Barton foreshore west of Barton Haven had been closed and demolished, making way for an extension of BritAg’s fertilizer operations. Around 1990, Glanford Borough Council purchased this land from ICI for £335,000; however, ICI was relieved from any environmental cleanup obligations. The council initially intended to redevelop the area into an industrial estate but was unable to secure necessary funding. In 1996, its successor authority, North Lincolnshire Council, abandoned redevelopment efforts due to financial constraints and instead prioritized site remediation and establishing a 'water park'. After removing contaminants left by previous fertilizer manufacturing activities, the area was converted into Water's Edge, a county park featuring former clay pits transformed into reed bed habitats.

East of Barton Haven, disused tile and brickyards that had been inactive since the 1950s are now incorporated within the Far Ings National Nature Reserve, created in 1983 by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

Since around 2013/14, Leggott's quarry near Ferriby has been adapted for use as an airsoft recreational venue, broadening local leisure options.

See also

• Fos-sur-Mer (France), Europoort (Netherlands) – similar estuarine regions that experienced substantial industrial growth following World War II