CATCH is extremely proud to be sponsoring and supporting Armed Forces Cleethorpes 2025, with the design and manufacture of a sign to support the event.

Reading #AFD and standing at over 6 feet tall, the sign is an incredible collaboration. Commissioned by the Armed Forces Major Events Team as a long-standing dream, it was the incredible work of Arron Kearney (Welding and Pipefitting Team Leader), Dan Ridley (Metal Fabrication Trainer) and Alan Bunce (Welding and Fabrication Trainer) as well as some of the First Year Apprentices who were able to use their exceptional engineering skills to design, manufacture and finish the piece from scratch.

The letters are truly a sight to behold, painted in Red, Light Blue and Dark Blue, indicative of the tri-service flag. The design also pays homage to CATCH, who’s logo is featured within the design and will be located between The Remembrance Gate and the top of the Pelican Waterfall. It is a privilege are thrilled to be supporting Armed Forces Day and Armed Forces Weekend, both now and in the future.

David Talbot, CATCH Chief Executive Officer said:

“As an Armed Forces Silver Employer and having operated within the Humber Region for over 2 decades, it truly is an absolute pleasure to have been invited to support the Armed Forces Day Event in Cleethorpes. I am truly blown away by what has been created by both our trainers and apprentices, and hope that the piece has the potential to become a centre piece of the event for years to come.”

Alex Baxter, Managing Director of the Armed Forces Major Events Team, said:

“I’d like to thank CATCH for doing this for us – it’s a great way for young people to learn about Armed Forces Day and what it means to be part of the armed forces community.

“The weekend is all about thanking members of the armed forces, past, present and future, and their families for their service to the country, and we can’t wait to see lots of people take photos in front of the letters and show their support too.”

Arron Kearney, Welding and Pipefitting Hub Team Leader, said:

“The creation of the Armed Forces Day logo was full team effort from HCF Catch, from concept to design then manufacture. I have family and friends that have serve in the armed forces so the was an honour to create this for Armed Forces Day.

Due to the uniqueness of the design, it was also a great learning curve for the apprentices as they had to live problem solve how the letter would stand alone and be made secure. This can be seen by the modifications made as the letter were being built.

I hope that people enjoy the setting and take many pictures with the letter to promote Armed Forces Day.”

Dan Ridley, Metal Fabrication Trainer said:

“It was a thoroughly enjoyable project from start to finish, and allowed us to showcase our hard work, dedication and passion for the Armed Forces, who continually protect us. The letters are a dedication and honour to those who are both veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces.”

We are once again thankful to the Armed Forces Major Events Team for providing us with this opportunity, as well as to each individual that has been involved in the organisation, design, manufacture and completion of the letters:

Arron Kearney – CATCH

Dan Ridley – CATCH

Alan Bunce – CATCH

Dexter Paton – Wood

Bartosz Portruski – PJD

Kyle Standley – PJD

Ellis Churches – PJD

Elliot Hooper – OLG

Fraser Conlan – Allied Protek

Jake Hargreaves – Bilfinger

Barney Sewell – Rainham Industrial Services

Lewis Dick – Haile Engineering

Harry Jackson – Phillips 66

Archie Bennett – INEOS

Euan Hoyle – Worley

Joel Broddle – CATCH

David Talbot – CATCH

Ellie Owens – CATCH

For more information about the weekend, please visit https://www.afmet.co.uk/.

CATCH is proud to announce that it has been awarded Service Provider of the Year at the 2025 Chemical Industries Association (CIA) Awards. The award recognises CATCH’s outstanding contribution to the UK chemical industry through its innovative, industry-led skills, training, and competency programmes.

Located in the heart of the UK’s Energy Estuary, CATCH delivers high impact services tailored to meet the evolving needs of industry, from its world-class training facilities and membership networks to its policy engagement and school outreach work. CATCH was shortlisted for three awards alongside tough competition in the industry – The Sustainability Award, The Service Provider of the Year Award and the Company of the Year Award.

David Talbot, CEO of CATCH, said:
“To be recognised by the CIA as Service Provider of the Year is a proud moment for our team. This award is a testament to the power of partnership, working together with our communities, industry, government, and education to build the skills and infrastructure needed for our region and beyond. We are now triple award winning, having previously been awarded the ECITB training provider of the year, and the ATA Training Provider of the year”.

To find out more about CATCH and their services please visit www.catchuk.org

Today, CATCH has achieved the Silver employer recognition scheme award recognising their ongoing commitment to supporting the armed forces community.

Having achieved the Bronze award in 2022, the granting of the Silver Award today demonstrates the additional steps they have taken to support those who serve or have served in the armed forces, including reservists, veterans, and their families.

As a military-friendly employer, their team includes ex-forces personnel from across the Army, Navy and RAF, who bring valuable skills and experience to the organisation.

Mark Booth, Head of Skills Training Delivery at CATCH, said:

“As an employer of ex-forces personnel from all 3 services I am honoured that CATCH has been recognised with the Armed Forces Silver Award 2025. The award is a progression on the Bronze Award granted in 2022 and reaffirms our ongoing commitment to employing and supporting those with current or previous roles in the armed forces. Having previously completed 24 years service in the RAF I am honoured to work for a military-friendly employer, championing the work of the armed forces, providing a flexible and supportive working environment”.

CATCH will continue to support, advocate for, and provide opportunities for members of the armed forces community. To find out more about CATCH, visit: www.catchuk.org

CATCH hosted their Cyber Security (Operational Technologies) Network on Wednesday 11 June with over 20 delegates in person and via Teams. The focus of the session was a presentation with Elliot Gidley from Claroty on the topic of vulnerability and risk management.

By seeking to improve operational efficiency to drive profits, management boards are exposing more risk to the business through allowing greater connectivity to systems from, for example, vendors. Bad operators can then exploit these potential weakness with the aim to ransom the business to fund criminal activity.

Digitalisation is driving innovation through automation and robotics, digital twins, 5G networks and edge computing. Potential back doors are being opened up across these areas. Critical infrastructure is governed by regulations and frameworks to control and manage this risk.

Currently 69% of OT organisations typically pay ransoms ($1.1B in 2023) compared to 24% for IT environments. OT victims can present serious safety and other implications from being offline/out of production so paying the fine can be the lowest risk option.

Elliot gave an overview of a recent survey looking at OT Exposure and the Global State of CPS Security in 2025. Findings showed that 12% of researched organisations have OT assets communication with malicious domains, through eg. KEVs & insecure internet connections. Elliot highlighted how to prioritise remediation through a focus on known exploited vulnerabilities, ransomware links and insecure internet connections. The group discussed the risks exposed to sites by some vendors and how clients can work together with vendors to improve security.

Elliot demonstrated how Claroty can help manage exposure through business impact assessment. It is important to create a priority list of vulnerabilities for operational technologies to focus time and resources. Elliot took many questions and after a coffee break ran through a demonstration of the Claroty xDome dashboard and functionality.

The next meeting of the Cyber Security Network will be hosted at Tronox on Wednesday 15 October. For more information about CATCH Networks please contact katie.hedges@catchuk.org.

On Thursday 5^th June 2025, we opened our doors at our CATCH Facility and welcomed delegates for our final event of Humber Business Week, our CATCH EDIB Conference.

Chair Paul McCartan (Yara) welcomed everyone to (not so) sunny Stallingborough, welcoming faces both new and old to the conference. Paul began with an introduction to Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Belonging, as well as the CATCH EDIB Charter and the importance of EDIB in the workplace.

Paul then introduced the guest speakers for the event, Fintan Canavan and Ivaylo Arnaudov from Protiviti Global Business Consulting, who provided a fascinating insight to Generational Diversity in the Workplace and Unlocking the Productivity Potential of a Multigenerational Workforce.

Sitting down for a fireside chat, Fintan and Ivo explained how their study had been completed in conjunction with the London School of Economics, following concerns from businesses and clients about generational divide in the workplace, and a lack of research and support about what can be done to improve productivity and relationships within the workplace.

Protiviti focused their initial study on meetings. It was found that 35% of workplace meetings were considered to be unproductive, and that by including multiple generations and engagement teams from departments across the business,  a shift in culture and beliefs surrounding meetings can  allow for improved knowledge sharing and relationships to be built, bridging the gap between generations within the workplace.

Fintan and Ivo also spoke about the preliminary results from their second-year study surrounding the use of AI in the workplace, with delegates opening up the conversation about their experiences on the use of AI in the workplace. While it is often found to be a fast-growing and useful tool across industries and sectors, it was found by Protiviti that there is some concern across younger generations about future entry level jobs, however it is this generation that are the most comfortable using this technology.  Intellectual property and data security was also found to be a concern for most.

The session culminated with breakout discussions, with delegates discussing not only the topics that had been covered, but also the generational challenges that they faced within their own workforces, and how having open discussions with senior leaders could result in a positive impact across the company surrounding generational diversity.

Fintan and Ivo closed the conference by introducing their third-year study, which will launch later this year and is looking for businesses and participants to join them as they continually research generational diversity within the workforce.

The next CATCH EDIB Network will be held on Thursday 10^th July. For more information about the CATCH EDIB Network and membership, please contact lisa.buck@catchuk.org.

CATCH held their second Humber Business Week event at the Ropewalk in Barton.  An event on Circular Economy and the Environment as part of our annual Environmental Managers Network programme.  Over 40 delegates joined us online and in person and were warmly welcomed by the chair, Martin Jones, SHEQ Manager at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery.  The event was kindly sponsored by TYR Law.

Andrew Gadd from Footprint Services set the scene with an engaging presentation on developing circular economy business models.  Using a glass jar analogy, Andrew explained how recycling was not the way out of the climate crisis.  The audience were asked to consider how do we move beyond the smash-melt-burn economy and embrace new opportunities to operate around the idea of refuse, rethink and reduce.  Andrew used a case study: baboodle – “rent everything but the baby” as an example of new ways of thinking and sharing resources.  Andrew described how all businesses can move towards being more circular through closing resource loops – using less material per product, slowing – extending product life – intensifying, enhancing the productivity of materials – closing, recovering and reusing materials, regenerating – reviving natural resources used in production processes.

Next up delegates heard about the Reverse Coal Project from Dr Amir Badiee from the University of Lincoln.  Amir first explained the background to the project, aimed at addressing sector specific climate challenges by reducing emission across energy intensive sectors such as energy production and agriculture.  One challenge being carbon dioxide released from drained/drying peatlands in the UK.  One solution developed is the reverse coal project – an idea from Lapwing Estate – to rewet peatlands and grow energy crops which can then be used as biomass with the benefit of improving biodiversity, reduce co2 release and providing new water reservoirs.

The energy crops can then be harvested and turned into Biochar which can be used further as a combustible to generate electricity, used in steel works as replacement for coal or simply buried as permanent carbon storage (if ground conditions are favourable).  Amir explained the advantages of biochar over coal with almost identical calorific values (for biochar produced at higher temperatures) and reduction in the amount of contamination, such as sulphur and nitrogen.  One challenge is the yield following pyrolysis, which is extremely low, meaning that large amounts of land would be needed.  Amir is now researching Bio-Oil as an alternative for power transmission insulation fluid used in engines and machinery.  These solutions are not about decarbonising the whole industry, but about helping to defossilise the economy.

After a break delegates enjoyed a very informative presentation from Will McDonald from Ecosystems Knowledge Network titled An Environment for Net Zero: the role of land, water & nature in net zero goals for North Lincolnshire & the Humber.  Will’s talk focused on natures ability to sequester carbon and how increases in carbon credit pricing will drive demand, against a backdrop of limited supply.  Will described the work of Northern Lincolnshire Environmental Farmers Group, to establish a carbon baseline for a collective of 30,000ha land and then looking at natural solutions for carbon offsetting and determine benefits that can then also be sold to others.

The morning event was wrapped up with a presentation from Alex Hajok, Manager of Humber Nature Partnership, who updated the group on their work streams and strategic framework.  Their aim remains to work towards favourable condition status for the estuary, member site assessment and response, developing formal communication channels and promoting best practice.  Leah Young, Conservation Officer with Humber Nature Partnership, who presented a case study on dealing with protected wild bird species on a local industrial site.

The next CATCH Environmental Managers Network will be held on Wednesday 8th October.  For more information about CATCH membership and networks please contact katie.hedges@catchuk.org

On Tuesday 3^rd June, CATCH hosted our first event of Humber Business Week, our Humber Industrial Decarbonisation Conference at Aura Innovation Centre in Hull, kindly sponsored by the Apprentice Employment Agency & the University of Hull.

Over 60 delegates were welcomed in person by Chair Professor Joe Howe, University of Lincoln, who thanked all in attendance for joining before introducing keynote speaker, Professor Peter Styring, University of Sheffield.

Peter spoke about the importance of understanding the difference between Decarbonisation and Defossilisation. Peter also expressed the importance of industrial cluster collaboration in areas such as the Humber Region, where plans for a CCS pipeline network have been in place since 2013. After discussing the work still needed to reduce power & industrial carbon emissions, Peter put forward that if industry continue to come together, government should soon follow suit.

Working on a simple premise of People, Prosperity and Planet, Peter stated that these three aspects needed to be held in people’s minds as we moved forward. Discussing the “Flue2Chem” project from Innovate UK, Peter demonstrated how a circular economy of carbon capture can lead to new low carbon products being generated.

Ralph Windeatt of ABP and Frederic Sene, Air Products, then gave a joint presentation and insight into Low Carbon Energy Transition in the Humber Industrial Cluster, and how they planned to work with one another to not only import Hydrogen in the form of Ammonia into the UK but also utilise the same shipping and transport infrastructure for Carbon Dioxide in the future.

Ralph explained how ABP were working to ensure the relevant deep-water infrastructure was developed, allowing for the necessary transport and carbon pipelines to be utilised. Ralph also explained that ABP were leading in utilising hydrogen as a power source for their port services equipment, demonstrating that this low carbon fuel is a safe and effective route to decarbonise some of their operations.

Frederic explained how Air Products were also leading the way in the UK, using liquid hydrogen as a fuel source and having the first hydrogen fuelling station in the country. He further explained how Air Products had built the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia, where electrolysis technology was used to produce hydrogen in the form of ammonia from abundant wind and solar energy.  The green ammonia is then transported by ship to users in Northern Europe and the UK, where the ammonia can be dissociated and compressed into hydrogen which could then be used as fuel.

Following a short coffee and networking break, it was the turn of Gavin Rowson, Uniper, to speak to delegates on the Killingholme Low Carbon Power Project. Uniper aim to be a carbon neutral business by 2040 and are working to provide customers across both the UK and Europe with green energy of the future.

While they operate across the world, Gavin explained that Killingholme was the ideal location; a heavy industrial area, multiple transport links by land and sea, as well as two prospective carbon dioxide pipelines in the vicininty: Northern Endurance and Viking CCS. Uniper plan to build a new, dedicated carbon capture power plant, designed to be at 95% capture, while providing at least 470 MW of new power to the energy grid. Uniper are confident this project is highly deliverable and that they are prepared for the project begin, showing how they can help support decarbonisation in the future.

The final speaker of the event was Edward Gill of Exolum. After an introduction about the company to delegates, Edward began by discussing the challenges that had been identified by Exolum, and how this then drove their strategy. Edward described Exolum’s role in enabling the expansion of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the UK and their aim to become Europe’s leading hydrogen logistics provider for end-to-end logistics service, utilising their existing knowledge and infrastructure.

The event closed with a networking lunch and a chance to meet our exhibitors.  The next Humber Industrial Decarbonisation Network will be held on Wednesday 24th September.  For more information please contact katie.hedges@catchuk.org.

We are thrilled to announce that CATCH Apprenticeships has recently been successful in gaining accredited apprenticeship status from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for our Level 3 Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician Apprenticeship.

IET Accreditation is recognised throughout the world, and awarded by the Engineering Council to professional, competent technicians and engineers, and is only awarded to providers who have the potential to deliver the competencies required for professional registration.

In order to receive accreditation, the CATCH Level 3 Maintenance and Operation Engineering Apprenticeship undertook varying degrees of assessment by the IET, focusing not only on the quality of the training and teaching, but also how the apprentices are supported outside their training and the relationships built with employers and businesses.

By being an IET Accredited Provider, CATCH Apprentices will also have the opportunity to register and join the Institution of Engineering and Technology upon completion of their training, meaning they will become registered technician, which in turn can assist in strengthening their position within the industry.

“The IET accreditation of CATCH’s maintenance apprenticeship programmes recognises and validates the quality of the training provided by CATCH staff and gives confidence to apprentices learning at CATCH that the skills and knowledge they are gaining will be accredited by a professional body.”, Bob Padley, Head of Process and Maintenance.

We would like to congratulate all who are involved in the organisation and delivery of our Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician Apprenticeship, and for continuing to ensure excellence across the board at CATCH.

For more information about out Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician Apprenticeship, please contact bob.padley@catchuk.org.

We are delighted to announce that three CATCH Member Network groups are hosting events during Humber Business Week.

Humber Business Week takes place during the 2nd-6th June 2025 and celebrates the vibrant business landscape on our region. Our Programme includes:

Humber Industrial Decarbonisation Conference – register your place with Lisa – lisa.buck@catchuk.org. Exhibition spaces still available to book – reach out to Katie – katie.hedges@catchuk.org
Sponsored by Apprenticeship Employer Agency & The University of Hull
Location – Aura Innovation Centre, Hessle
10.00 – Welcome and Introductions from Chair – Joe Howe, Net Zero Humber Professor, University of Lincoln
10.05 – Key Note/Opening Address – Professor Peter Styring, The University of Sheffield
10.20 – Low Carbon Energy Transition in the Humber Industrial Cluster – Ralph Windeatt, ABP & Frederick Sene, Air Products
10.50 – Coffee Break (on mezzanine with exhibitors)
11.10 – Killingholme Low Carbon Power Project – Michelle Zietsman, Uniper
11.35 – Exolum & the role of the UK’s fuel infrastructure in the green transition – Edward Gill, Exolum
12.00 – Event close & buffet lunch (on mezzanine with exhibitors)

Environmental Managers Conference – register your place with Katie – Katie.hedges@catchuk.org
Sustainability & Circular Economy Event sponsored by TYR
Location – Rope Walk, Maltkin Road, South Humberside
1000 – Welcome – Martin Jones, Prax LOR, Chair
1005 – Circular Business Models – Andrew Gadd, Footprint Services
1030 – Cleaner Greener Future – The Reverse Coal Project – Dr Amir Badiee, University of Lincoln
1055 – Coffee Break
1110 – An Environment for Net Zero: the role of land, water and nature in net zero goals for North Lincolnshire and the Humber – Bruce Howard & Will McDonald
1130 – Humber Nature Partnership Strategic Update – Alex Hajok & Jackson Sage, Humber Nature Partnership
1155 – Future Topic & next meeting
1200 – Lunch & Networking

EDIB Conference – Generational Diversity – register your place with Lisa – lisa.buck@catchuk.org
Location – CATCH, Stallingborough
09:30 – 12:00 with lunch & Networking

This conference will focus on Generational Diversity with Protiviti, who were commissioned by and work with the London school of economics to deliver a study on this all important topic. Hosted by CATCH EDIB Chair Paul McCartan, Yara, will provide organisations with data-driven insights to increase productivity across the various generations of the workforce. We will be exploring the productivity potential of multi-generational meetings, including:
– The importance of Age Diverse teams in advancing organisational performance
– An Organisation’s ability to successfully adapt and compete for talent is dependent on a flexible and age inclusive workforce

We will hear about the year 2 survey, currently in flight, which is focusing on:
Generational Impressions of AI in the workplace
Keys to building Intergenerational Belonging.

The session will include interactive presentations, breakout sessions to discuss key questions and challenges and a group session to distil and prioritise actions to take forward.

Following the opening of the Welding and Pipefitting Hub in September 2024, the next stage of the CATCH expansion programme has been granted planning permission. The new development includes an Industrial Decarbonisation Centre and a new build Renewable Energy Training Centre, both set to officially open in early 2026. Supported by investment from partners Viking CCS members Phillips 66 Limited, Harbour Energy, Drax Group and Associated British Ports (ABP), plus Air Products and Uniper, alongside funding from the Humber Freeport.

These new facilities will further strengthen CATCH’s position as a leading hub for skills training and development in the region. As industries move towards the clean power mission these centres will equip the current and future workforce with the skills required for the evolving sector.

David Talbot, CEO of CATCH said, “These developments mark the next stage in our plans to train 1000 apprentices per year by 2030. Partnership is what makes CATCH different, we leverage knowledge gained from our members and stakeholders, to find out exactly what industry really needs now and in the future. By collaborating across our skills eco-system, from our outreach and engagement work to supporting the community to the upskilling of adults – we can contextualise and provide up to date training across the sector. We are immensely grateful for the ongoing support of our investors in making this vision a reality.”

The Renewable Energy Training Centre will offer hands-on training for technicians and operators, with new purpose built workshops, classroom space and common areas. While the Industrial Decarbonisation Centre, will feature a lecture theatre, inward investment suite, AR/VR capability as well as upgraded reception, office space and breakout areas for networking.

Simon Green, CEO of Humber Freeport, said:

“To decarbonise the Humber’s industrial cluster and transition to a net zero economy, we need the right people with the right skills and expertise.

“Facilities like CATCH are absolutely vital to equip our future workforce with the capabilities and the confidence to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving and growing green skills sector.

“The strength of CATCH’s proposition is underlined by the breadth of cross-sector support and funding from industry and partners. Through the Freeport’s Seed Capital Fund, we were delighted to play our part in the next exciting chapter of CATCH’s story.

“As the Humber accelerates towards low carbon technologies and innovation, CATCH will serve as a centre of excellence for clean energy, connecting industry with a pool of highly-skilled people ready to drive sustainable, green economic growth.”

Paul Fursey, Lead Executive UK & General Manager, Humber Refinery at Phillips 66 Limited said:

“The establishment of the Industrial Decarbonisation Centre and the Renewable Energy Training Centre at CATCH represents a pivotal step forward in enhancing skills development in the Humber region.

“Our recent investment in the training centre not only reflects our ongoing collaboration with local industry to support future growth and innovation but also fortifies the region’s economic resilience as we transition to a lower carbon economy”

Richard Gwilliam, Chair of the Humber Energy Board and UK BECCS Programme Director at Drax Group, said:

“The Humber is the UK’s biggest decarbonisation opportunity and CATCH has a critical role to play in developing the pipeline of talent our region needs to deliver on our green growth ambitions.

“We’re pleased to see that CATCH’s Industrial Decarbonisation Centre and Renewable Energy Training Centre have secured planning permission and are moving closer to construction. These facilities will equip current and future workers with in-demand skills that can lead to long-term careers in the Humber and globally.”

For more information about the upcoming expansion or to inquire about training opportunities, please contact CATCH directly at – info@catchuk.org