New era for Cumbrian company

The company, which is based on the Derwent Howe Industrial Esate in Workington, has begun trading as a wholly-owned independent subsidiary of British Steel.

This firm was formerly the long products division of Tata Steel before this was sold last year to private equity firm Greybull Capital, which revived the British Steel name.

It employs 220 people at Derwent Howe, operating one of the largest and most comprehensively-equipped manufacturing facilities in the UK.

It offers design, fabrication, machining, fitting, assembly and testing with a floor capacity of 19,200sq metres.

The business is a key supplier to the nuclear, defence and security, oil and gas, industrial and steel making, and construction sectors.

John Coughlan, director and chief operating officer said: “Trading as TSP Engineering Ltd, as a new independent subsidiary will give the business more flexibility to focus on developing our markets which lie outside those of which our previous owners engaged in.

"We will now be able to truly become closer to our customers and focus our business on delivering to their needs and becoming a real extension of their businesses with the aim of improving our business further, to be the best we can be, and with the intent of further up skilling the workforce and securing local employment for the years to come.

"We are proud that many generations of families have worked and continue to work here with two of our newest apprentices having immediate family members working with us,” he added.

It offers design, fabrication, machining, fitting, assembly and testing with a floor capacity of 19,200sq metres.

In late 2016 it was named as a strategic partner with Rolls-Royce, which means that instead of tendering work to Rolls-Royce, TSP is able to tender for work with the multinational, working with them in collaboration to win work on a partnership basis.

A spokesman for TSP said the company was aiming to become a "partner of choice" with other organisations.