The uncertain future of the Teeside plant has been resolved as Corus announced its plans to mothball the Teeside Cast Products steel making site, as well as closure of its Redcar blast furnace, Lackenby steel plant and its South Bank coke ovens. Corus had lost its largest customer earlier in the year, an international consortium of 4 steel slab buyers, that had pulled out of a 10 year contract that had secured 78% of the plants output. Recent attempts to secure an alternative long term partner for the 3m tonnes/yr slab plant had proved unsuccessful. Mr. Adams, Chief Exec. of Tata Steel Europe, (Corus' owner) called upon the UK Government to boost construction and increase road, rail and bridge building projects. The Financial Times estimate that Britain's manufacturing has fallen to a meagre 11% of GDP. read more ...