Latest news with #factory
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Investigation after worker dies at Royston Fibre-Tech factory
An investigation is under way after a worker died at a factory that manufactures vehicle incident took place at Fibre-Tech Industries (UK) in Royston, Hertfordshire, on engineering company produces exhaust systems and other items, including heat shields and sheet metal, and has a head office in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said: "We are aware of this incident and are working alongside Hertfordshire Constabulary to establish what happened." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Disgusted locals living nightmare as 'blood red' gunge rains down from giant incinerator used to cremate zoo animals and beached whales
Campaigners are demanding a factory causing a 'gut-wrenching stench' in a city centre by burning diseased and dead animals be closed down. The refinery plant, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, turns livestock, zoo animals and even beached whales, into biofuels. But by-products billowing from the factory chimneys create a rancid cloud over the area, coating cars with a thick greasy residue, making people physically sick, and even killing off vegetation. Food businesses claim the fetid reek is driving away customers and a petition has been launched calling on Bradford Council to immediately suspend operations at the P. Waddington Animal By-Product Processing Plant. One trader took samples of the detritus raining down from the white vapour belching from the Waddington stacks for lab analysis - it contained bone, hair and fat. Residents claim breathing in the vile particles of animal waste is making them ill. Motor trader Sadeeq Sharif, 53, has a business directly next to the plant, and is constantly having to clean his cars from the falling tiny globules. 'The stuff falls white at first, but over the days and when it gets water on it, it turns a rusty, blood-red colour,' said Mr Sharif, who has run his business Sultania Motors beside the factory for more than 15 years. Mechanic Thomas Wizla believes he has been suffering with stomach issues and unexplained weight loss due to the debris being pumped into the air through by the refinery plant 'I have a convertible car and I'm scared to park it outdoors, because of the fabric roof, and if that gets destroyed it'll cost me six grand. 'The problem has got worse in recent years. Sometimes you can't bear the smell, and you have to go inside. 'Customers have been known to dump their cars and just run, they don't want to be here one second longer than they have to. 'The grime just builds up on the car bodyworks and windows, it is a constant battle to clean it off. 'The smell from the refinery gets that bad some days that we can hardly work and stand here. When some trucks come you cannot be here, it is that nasty, it's a gut-wrenching stench.' The Waddington plant has been in operation since 1947, and before that was an abattoir, but locals say the problem has gotten worse in recent years. Animal carcasses from across Britain are brought by lorry to the site, including roadkill, zoo animals, diseased farm animals, the waste from the livestock food industry and whales washed up on the nation's seashores. Skin and hide is also treated at the premises. Offal are also trucked to the factory and there have been a number of spills when rancid animal guts have ended up on the road. On one occasion a spill of fat caused a car to skid and crash, according to locals. 'A lot of the trucks aren't from here, they are foreigners. The trucks have foreign number plates on, and the drivers don't know the language and they are trying to look for the place,' said Mr Sharif. 'Waddington's spilt so much one day that they had to close the road and bring in industrial cleaners. 'This should not be taking place in the city centre. The whole place is manky. 'It is going 24 hours a day, it never shuts down.' Thomas Wizla, 47, runs TW Autos, a few doors down from Mr Sharif. 'The smell gets really bad, especially over the last two-and-a-half years,' said Mr Wizla, pointing to the mucky residue on his cars. 'I have had a problem with my stomach for the last years. I have lost 10kg and been to the doctor a number of times. I'm sure it is linked to that plant. 'I am normally a fit, healthy person, but its just here making me sick. 'I have been to Waddington's to complain, but they say it is "nothing to do with us". 'I have taken the stuff that is falling down from the chimneys, which is white at first and then turns rusty-coloured. I have sent those samples to an independent laboratory and he sends me a report. 'What does it say? - hair, bone, and antibiotics.' The report cost Mr Wizla £500 for the lab report, six months ago. 'Last week we had two ladies leaving their car, and straight away one of them dashed to the toilet to throw up because of the smell,' he said. 'The other lady went to be sick after that.' Mr Wizla also pointed out the trees, brambles, grasses and flowers on an embankment directly downwind from the chimneys - everything was brown and shrivelled, whereas normal summer greenery was either side. Viktor Kotenko, 60, also works nearby. 'The smell is very, very bad, it is just horrible,' said Mr Kotenko. 'Sometimes it comes down like rain and you can taste it on your tongue and on your lips - it is a sweet taste. 'And when you wash your face it you can feel it.' Geoff Bonham, 68, has been in the area for more than 30 year and he says the problem has got worse over the last few years. 'Waddington's say that it is not them causing the smell or being responsible for the bits falling from the sky, but it obviously is,' said Mr Bonham. 'They used to say the smell was from a nearby chicken factory, but that's not the case. 'The stuff is so thick and greasy that if you put your windscreen wipers on you can't see. 'I've been complaining to environmental health for ages, but they say its not detrimental to health. 'But I've been away in hospital for three months on an unrelated matter, but when I have come back my sinuses are going and I have a sore throat already. 'The emissions from the plant can be the only reason for my sinus problem and sore throat.' Mr Bonham said the company, which still goes by the name Waddington but was taken over a few years ago by JG Pears, spills offal on the road. Mr Bonham said the company, which was very busy at the time of the foot and mouth outbreak, has daily lorry loads of animal carcasses, and recently took delivery of a whale that had washed up in Whitby. A petition set up on has more than 1,600 signatures, with people saying they are always having to keep their windows shut to ward off the stench. Locals are so enraged by the issue a community meeting was held last week. One local who signed the petition said: 'On a daily basis I watch my elderly mother who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis struggling to close the windows because of the daily toxic assault by P Waddington. 'Enough is enough it's time this soul-destroying site is closed.' Another signatory, who volunteers at the nearby mosque wrote: 'It felt like being poisoned! 'I volunteer at the mosque opposite the factory, and yesterday the stench was so overwhelmingly terrible and offensive, I ran inside for the first time in my life to close the windows, dropped my plans to water the plants from the children's vegetable garden and literally ran to the car holding my breath. 'I have never smelled anything that terrible in my life, and I am not exaggerating.' Councillor Ismail Uddin, who represents Bowling and Barkerend Ward where the rendering plant is located, is backing the petition. 'There are many food outlets on Leeds Road, just beside Waddington's, and many owners say customers think the bad smell is coming from them,' said Cllr Uddin. 'Bradford Council has launched a "Live Leeds Road" campaign, but the awful smell is not helping. 'On some days the stench can be smelt at the new Bradford Interchange bringing tourists and visitors to our city. 'The first impression they get is that the place stinks.' Members of the Leeds Road Hindu temple have submitted a letter to Bradford Council highlighting the 'intolerable' situation and 'foul smell' which they said visiting dignitaries had commented on. Tariq Mahmood, who runs the Mahmood's burger shop near the factory, said: 'Our business attracts people from outside and we are investing a lot of money into the area. 'It reflects really negatively on us as a city.' The petition, entitled 'Stop the Noxious Fumes from this Animal Carcass Burning Plant in Bradford!' reads: 'We petition Bradford Council for the immediate suspension of operations at the P. Waddington Animal By-Product Processing Plant, located at 54 Buck Street, BD3 9LP. 'This suspension should remain in effect until a comprehensive and independent investigation into the plant's adherence to environmental guidelines and its impact on public health is conducted.' It outlines the below concerns and demands. 1. Potential Health Risks: Persistent community reports and preliminary research indicate that emissions from the plant could pose various health risks, including respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, as well as mental health issues. 2. Environmental Impact: There is concern about the potential for emissions from the plant to exceed the guidelines set by the Environmental Agency. Recent assessments suggest that they may be up to 5000% in excess of the 1.5 OU/m3 limitation (Odour Units), raising serious concerns about the plant's impact on local air quality and the broader environment. 3. Lack of Transparency and Oversight: Questions have been raised about the accuracy and impartiality of the self reporting of the plant's emissions, particularly considering the potential for underreporting of volatile organic compounds. This underscores the need for enhanced regulatory oversight and independent verification. Demands: 1. Immediate suspension of operations at the Waddington Plant pending an independent investigation into its adherence to environmental guidelines and its overall health and environmental impacts. 2. A thorough review of the plant's compliance with environmental regulations and guidelines. 3. Inclusion of community stakeholders in future decisions regarding the plant's operations, ensuring transparency and accountability. 'We urge the Bradford Council to take swift and decisive action in response to these concerns, prioritizing the health and safety of our community,' the petition reads. A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: 'An investigation is currently ongoing into Waddingtons which has not concluded, therefore we are unable to comment at this time.' PJ Pears, the factory's parent company, said: 'We understand the concerns of some of the residents near the P Waddington installation. We make great efforts to minimise odours beyond the site boundary and operate within the strict requirements of our environmental permit and odour management plan. 'As we have said previously, we are open to meeting with community representatives to discuss this matter further. But up till now, no one has contacted us about this. 'Regarding the petition, some of the information given on the petition webpage is not correct. It is important that discussions about our installation are grounded in the facts. 'Most significantly, it says that 'Recent assessments suggest that they may be up to 5000% in excess of the 1.5 OU/m3 limitation (Odour Units).' This is based on modelling assuming there is zero abatement of odour and emissions in operation. This has been assessed to give an absolute worst-case scenario to measure our abatement systems against. It would not be possible to operate the plant under this scenario and this would be a breach of our permit. 'Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, facilities must use the Best Available Techniques (BAT) to prevent or minimise emissions and environmental impact. Our permit was granted because the installation uses modern technology and operating procedures to minimise odour in line with current BAT standards. 'The petition also expressed concerns about a 'Lack of Transparency and Oversight.' Environmental health officers from Bradford Metropolitan District Council regularly inspect and audit the installation to ensure compliant operations. All of this carried out to UK regulatory standards. 'Finally, we would like to clarify that it is not an 'animal carcass burning plant'. It is an animal by-product rendering plant. It carefully uses heat to convert animal material not suitable for human consumption into safe, reusable resources, such as biofuels. Facilities like ours play a vital role in making livestock production sustainable and in preventing animal disease outbreaks.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Made in Cleveland: Local factory grows as companies shift back to U.S. manufacturing
In just three months, the landscape at Jergens Inc. has changed. The local factory floor is now filled with equipment and employees. Solve the daily Crossword
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Trump's Trade War Is Upending China's Factory Floors
At a factory in southern China, hundreds of assembly-line workers wearing blue caps churn out kitchenware and grilling accessories for global retailers including Walmart Inc. The vast shop floor — almost the size of six soccer fields — is a hive of activity as everything from grill tongs to food storage containers are assembled and packaged. In the break area for office workers next door there's a Silicon Valley vibe: Designers and engineers in black polo shirts play foosball and table tennis, while a barista serves cappuccinos. It's one of four factories in China run by Velong Enterprises, a working partnership that began in 2005 when American Jacob Rothman combined his Shanghai-based trading company with a small factory in southern Guangdong province owned by Iven Chen. Together they've built an operation that designs, develops, manufactures and markets products worldwide. Rothman, 52, jokes that he and Chen, 47, are like a married couple — only better, as they never argue. 'I can't say that about my own marriage,' he says.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rivian restarting work on its Georgia factory, emails show
Rivian will resume prep-work on its planned Georgia factory in August and is still looking to break ground early next year, according to emails TechCrunch obtained through a public records request. The restarted effort comes months after the Biden administration's Department of Energy approved a $6.6 billion meant to fund construction. Rivian has invested more than $80 million in the project as of June 20, 2025, up from $41 million in July 2024, according to a progress report submitted to the local joint development authority included in the emails. The project has created 46 full-time jobs so far. Rivian will begin installing 'deep utilities' in August, with 'vertical construction' set to begin in the first quarter of 2026, according to the emails. The company is also reaching out to existing suppliers to see which ones might want to co-locate near the Georgia factory, the emails show. Rivian also asked the state's economic development department for a list of suppliers already in the region that may be able to help build the R2 SUV and R3 hatchback at the factory when it opens in 2028. Amid this push to restart the project, Rivian's founder and CEO RJ Scaringe met with the state's governor Brian Kemp at the end of May. The company's corporate affairs director told the Governor's office in an email that the meeting was a 'top priority' for the company. Peebles Squire, a spokesperson for Rivian, said the meeting between Scaringe and the Governor was a 'regular check-in.' 'We discussed our ongoing work in Georgia and gave general project updates as well as discussed ways in which we can continue to have a strong partnership with the state,' he wrote in an email to TechCrunch. The Governor's press secretary did not respond to requests for comment. Rivian first announced the Georgia factory shortly after its IPO in late 2021. The company originally planned to start construction in 2022 and have vehicle production up and running by 2024. It promised to invest $5 billion in the facility and, in May 2022, Rivian lined up $1.5 billion in state incentives to help make that happen. The factory quickly faced local opposition. And the project took a back seat as Rivian worked around supply chain shortages during the ramp-up of its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV at its original factory in Normal, Illinois. Rivian ultimately pushed back the timeline for the Georgia project in favor of expanding the Normal factory, for which it nabbed $827 million in incentives from Illinois. The company announced this delay in 2024 when it showed off the R2 SUV and R3 hatchback for the first time. In late 2024, Rivian announced it had secured the $6.6 billion loan from the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office. Specifically the loan would be coming from the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program, which is the same effort that helped Tesla navigate the Great Recession more than a decade ago. That loan agreement was finalized just a few days before Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, and by that point the deal had already become a target of some of the people in the new president's orbit. Vivek Ramaswamy, who at one point was supposed to co-lead Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, said he wanted to look into clawing back the loan. After Trump took office, his administration froze all kinds of spending. Some of those freezes were reversed by lower district courts, while others have remained in place as the Supreme Court has mostly allowed the president to operate more freely. In February, as the administration was shotgun-blasting these spending freezes across the government, Governor Kemp told a local news station he wasn't sure of the status of the loan. (Squire, in the email, said Rivian continues to work 'with DOE and the administration to bring thousands of quality, good paying jobs back to the United States. Electric vehicles are a global strategic industry, and the U.S. should maintain its leadership role in new technologies.') Just a few weeks later in March, the emails show, Rivian began coordinating with the Governor's staff for a face-to-face between Kemp and Scaringe. Originally slated to take place on April 9, the meeting had to be rescheduled because the Rivian CEO had a 'personal conflict come up.' Andrew Capezzuto, the corporate affairs director for Rivian, said the meeting was 'a top priority' in an apologetic email about the rescheduling. As Capezzuto hashed out a new time for Scaringe and Kemp to meet, he was also in regular contact with Georgia's economic development department (GCED), the emails show. '[W]e are interested in picking back up on supplier conversations,' he told that team on April 8. 'I believe a while back GDEcD had prepared an overview of existing suppliers within Georgia and the greater South East region. Would it be possible to dust that list off so that we can see what suppliers and parts are already available? We would like to use that list to evaluate the existing supplier base and determine whether we can leverage any existing suppliers. That will then also help us determine which suppliers we'd like to consider locate [sic] in Georgia to support the SSN facility.' In an email to TechCrunch, Squire said 'Georgia and the Southeast have a very strong automotive supplier base. We want to leverage that base to optimize logistics costs and reinforce a strong supply chain. It's good for jobs, regionally and nationally, and promotes American manufacturing and economic development.' As Rivian ramps up that supplier activity, the company is also starting to hire workers to support the buildout of the factory. It has posted seven open roles to LinkedIn within the last month, including one for construction manager. Sign in to access your portfolio
