North West Chemicals – Why Us?

Clees • February 17, 2025


Otto Simon has a unique selling point in comparison with the multitude of engineering contractors plying their trade to the chemical manufacturers in the North West of England. The North West chemical industry is of great importance to Otto Simon and we are dedicated in the provision of service and support to our chemical clients.


Our USP?


Otto Simon’s engineers have extensive experience of working on site and being in the ‘thick of it’. We know what the issues are, we understand the challenges, whether these arise from getting products to market on time, increasing manufacturing capacity or improving energy efficiency and being compliant with safety and emissions legislation. We can help. 


The North West is strong in chemical manufacture and accounts for 25.3% of the UK Chemical Sector GVA employing some 27,325 people, exports amount to £7.9bn and the data available from the CIA goes into greater depth to underline how our region is a significant strategic UK asset.



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Recent Blog Posts

Otto Simon Attends HEA Conference in Westminster

By Clees • June 11, 2025
Otto Simon recently attended the Hydrogen Energy Association (HEA) annual conference in Westminster, London, a key event for the hydrogen industry. The conference featured a keynote speech by Sarah Jones, UK Government Minister of State for Industry and Net Zero , highlighting the government's commitment to this crucial sector. Our team had the invaluable opportunity to hear directly from industry-leading hydrogen experts , gaining first-hand insights into the latest policies and government funding initiatives. This direct access to information is vital for staying at the forefront of hydrogen advancements. Congratulations to Clive Mansfield and Clare Dunkerley from our team, who actively participated in the networking sessions, engaging in discussions about hydrogen and safety —a critical aspect of our work. They also gathered useful information that will directly benefit our ongoing hydrogen projects.

Keeping Our Expertise Sharp: Machinery Regulations

By Clees • June 3, 2025
 Here at Otto Simon, we're committed to staying at the forefront of safety and compliance in Process Plant projects. That's why two of our seasoned principal engineers, Mike Wray and Mike Westerman, recently attended a crucial refresher course on machinery regulations at the HSE Science and Research Centre. In the world of Process Plant projects, it's common to encounter machinery assemblies where vendors don't provide a declaration of conformity. With the recent publication of the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230/EU, it's more important than ever to be on top of the latest guidelines. This ensures we can continue to offer our UK-based clients the best advice on their responsibilities and how to apply conformity assessments when machinery risks are present. This applies to both new equipment and the repurposing of existing machinery. Considering there are over 800 standards related to machinery design, our approach is meticulous. We utilise a thorough hazard identification process to carefully evaluate risks and implement best practice safety mitigations in all our designs. This proactive approach helps us ensure the highest level of safety for your projects. Please get in touch for assistance.

Prime Minister, Kier Starmer visits St Helens, Merseyside today as he paid a visit to the Glass Futures facility!

By Clees • May 29, 2025
Prime Minister, Kier Starmer visits St Helens, Merseyside today as he paid a visit to the Glass Futures facility! The Prime Minister spoke to workers at the facility this morning, Thursday, May 29 during a visit. “Can I just start by thanking those that work here for showing me this morning what you do, showing me the skills that you have, telling me a bit about what goes on here and the incredible history. “If I’ve understood what you’ve told me glass has been made on this very site for the best part of 250 years." “I think Pilkington may have been running the business before, and we can actually just see Pilkington out there so for you to be continuing with Glass Futures, very apt name, working here is fantastic and I can see how proud you are of what you do, each of you contributing with your different skills to what is happening here." The Labour politician added: “As I’ve said many, many, times you can read a briefing in London or you can come and see the workforce and come and see the people with the real skills and understand what they’re doing and thank you for allowing me to do the second of those as I’ve got a really good sense of what you’re doing here, how you’re doing it and the incredible way you’re doing it, each of you contributing in your own way and I can see that pride.” The £54m innovative research and technology facility was opened in Peasley Cross in 2023, at the former United Glass site. The mission is to help decarbonise the global glass industry by pioneering ways of making carbon-neutral glass.
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