STOCKTON-ON-TEES, UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / August 18, 2026 / Tioxide Materials Limited (Tioxide) today announced the successful recommissioning of the titanium dioxide (TiO₂) pigment production facility at Greatham in Hartlepool, marking a major milestone following LB Group’s acquisition of the site and its associated TiO₂ pigment assets earlier this year.

Production has now commenced at the site, with single-stream operation underway and TIOXIDE^® and DELTIO^® products beginning to return to the market. The achievement represents an important step towards the new owners restoring the facility's full manufacturing capability and enhancing long-term security of supply of TiO₂ pigments for customers worldwide.

The restart follows four months of careful commissioning, testing and maintenance work with Tioxide’s engineering, operations and technical teams working closely together to safely prepare the facility for commercial production. A phased ramp-up is now underway, with a clear roadmap to increase production capability and achieve full operational capacity by early 2027.

Karen Askwith, Managing Director at Tioxide, said: “Today is a landmark moment for Tioxide and a proud achievement for everyone involved in bringing the Greatham facility back into operation after it was idled in Q4 2025.

“Drawing on more than 50 years of manufacturing heritage, the site at Greatham has a proud history of producing high-quality TiO₂ pigments. This is an important step forward for our new business – but also for the local economy on Teesside, for the UK chemical sector and the wider TiO₂ industry. The successful commencement showcases the skill, dedication and expertise of our employees, whose commitment has been instrumental in safely commissioning the site and establishing production, and I'd like to thank everyone on our team for their outstanding efforts.

“I’d also like to acknowledge our suppliers for their support and our customers for their confidence throughout this process. With production now underway, our focus turns to delivering our ramp-up programme, stepping the site up to full manufacturing operations – safely and successfully – and ensuring our customers have access to a reliable and sustainable source of TiO₂ pigments for many years to come.”

Tioxide’s Greatham facility has a total nameplate capacity of 150,000 tonnes of TiO₂ pigment per annum, with production supported by a team of scientists at the company’s new research and development centre in Wynyard and commercial and business support teams based at its headquarters in Stockton-on-Tees.

Under its TIOXIDE^® and DELTIO^® brands, Tioxide produces a range of premium-performance TiO₂ pigments for use in coatings, plastics and inks applications.

Customers interested in learning more about Tioxide's products and capabilities, or discussing future supply requirements, are encouraged to contact Tioxide’s commercial team or visit www.tioxide.com 

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About Tioxide

Tioxide manufactures premium-performance titanium dioxide (TiO₂) pigments, marketed under the TIOXIDE^® and DELTIO^® brands, and designed for use in all major applications. Headquartered in Stockton-on-Tees in the UK, the company draws on over 50 years of manufacturing heritage supported by advanced research and development capabilities, and a global supply network. Partnering with customers worldwide, Tioxide provides consistently reliable TiO₂ pigments, strong technical customer support, and continuous product innovation. Tioxide is a wholly owned subsidiary of LB Group, the world’s leading TiO₂ pigment and titanium sponge manufacturer. Please visit www.tioxide.com for more information about Tioxide and the company’s TiO₂ pigments.

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Notes to Editors

The Greatham facility was the UK's first commercial chloride-process TiO₂ pigment plant, commencing production in October 1971. It later pioneered the proprietary Integrated Chlorination and Oxidation (ICON) technology, which became central to the manufacture of its high-performance TiO₂ pigments. The site was originally owned by British Titan and, in November 1990, commissioned ICON while operating as Tioxide, a subsidiary of ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries). Under Huntsman's ownership, the facility underwent major expansions in 2002 and 2008, before the business was divested to become Venator. On 27 April 2026, LB Group acquired the Greatham facility and associated TiO₂ pigment assets from Venator Materials UK Ltd, establishing the new Tioxide business and marking the beginning of a new chapter in the site's long industrial history.