A MAYOR has visited a shipbuilder which has found a second home in the Tees Valley.

Parkol Marine Engineering has opened a new facility at Middlesbrough’s AV Dawson to expand its business and grow its offerings.

Parkol, established in 1971 in Whitby, is an expert in shipbuilding, employing around 76 people to primarily build trawlers but it also creates other vessels such as workboats and pleasure crafts.

The firm was seeking a new premises with extra space to allow them to manufacture larger boats and, after a search, decided on the Tees Valley location in November last year.

Mr Houchen said: “I am delighted to welcome another business that has decided to make the Tees Valley its home.

“Parkol speaks to our heritage but is a forward-looking company that has had a long and prosperous life. I’m sure that, with their expertise and the new boats they can build thanks to this move, their success will also be felt across our region and I look forward to working with them and hearing about their next good news story.”

Parkol’s managing director Jim Morrison said: “Expanding to our new Middlesbrough facility has given us the opportunities to build larger vessels.

“This is the start of a new chapter in Parkol’s life and the sky’s the limit."