Chemical Industry

The US owned Cabot Carbon plant at Ellesmere Port produced carbon black using the oil furnace process. This is used in the production of tyres, toners, printing inks, plastics and coatings. The works was busy when I took this shot but has now been closed and production transferred to a cheaper location in China. It was Britain's largest producer of Carbon black. By 2010 the demolition men were on site. Since 2019 the site has been occupied by a factory manufacturing containerboard and corrugated board.

Coke being pushed from an oven into the coke car at Monckton coke works at Royston. The Monckton Coke & Chemical Company was owned by Hargreaves Services plc and had been producing metallurgical coke for more than 130 years at its site near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. At the time Monckton was the only independent coke works in the UK, producing more than 200,000 tonnes per year of the highest-quality coke for markets worldwide. The works closed at the end of 2014.

Charging hoppers and workers adjusting the charge and lids on top of the Monckton coke ovens. A nice selection of steel rod tools in the foreground.