A SPECIALIST risk management company has signed multi-million pound contracts with three of the world's largest chemical, plastic and bulk storage companies with plants on Teesside.

CFB Risk Management will provide industrial fire and rescue safety services to Ineos Nitriles (UK) Limited, Navigator Terminals and Huntsman Tioxide at their neighbouring sites on Seal Sands.

Under a shared service agreement, CFB RM – which was the first of its kind when set up by Cleveland Fire Brigade in 2011 – will give the companies round-the-clock protection seven days a week.

The contract will safeguard 50 permanent jobs, create new posts and boost the firm’s own apprenticeship scheme.

It will also bring further investment in equipment and resources to enhance the asset protection services on Teesside.

Ian Hayton, managing director, said: "We know that safety is an absolute top priority for these three global companies so we are delighted at the confidence they are showing in us.

"These are very significant contracts for us and a great opportunity. We believe that this shared model enables us to deliver the highest quality of service in the most cost-effective way bringing benefits to everyone.

"The skills of our team are a major reason for our success and our vision of being internationally recognised for our specialist expertise and experience is being realised."

Gary Cawley, technical director, said: "We have just completed an initial three-year contract with Ineos Nitriles (UK) Limited and are very pleased that it has been renewed with the addition of Navigator Terminals and Huntsman.

"It has taken more than 18 months of hard work and commitment to put this together and, by passing on savings to our customers, it is helping to support businesses and employment on Teesside as well as boosting our own workforce."

The new contracts come on the back of recent growth for CFB RM. It provides a range of services from risk assessment and auditing, emergency planning and fire engineering to emergency response and training and exercising.

Customers include blue-chip companies in high-hazard sectors such as oil and gas, power, petrochemical and nuclear that need to protect their people, plant, process and productivity.

Contracts in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, where an office has just been established in Abu Dhabi, are cementing CFB Risk Management’s position as a multi-million pound turnover business with the profits returned into projects that improve safety for the Teesside community.