Ellesmere Port's Stanlow to celebrate centenary throughout 2024

Established in 1924 as a bitumen production site, Stanlow has been a vital pillar of the UK’s energy sector for a century, providing essential products and transportation fuels and supporting both the nation’s and North West’s economic growth.

The centenary celebration will last several months and will encompass a series of events and initiatives that recognise Stanlow's significant contribution to the Cheshire community, the North West region, and the UK as a whole.

At the same time, operators EET Fuels will use the centenary to "recognise, celebrate and give thanks to the communities connected to Stanlow while demonstrating its long-term commitment to support these communities long into the future."

A spokesperson for EET Fuels added: "EET Fuels will celebrate colleagues, both past and present, and acknowledge the generations of men and women who operated the refinery with dedication, powering growth and innovation across the UK’s manufacturing and transportation industries, and the economy as a whole.

"We will work with local organisations to bring to light the history of Stanlow and share the importance of Stanlow to the UK economy."

Further details of the events, visits and charitable activities will be made in due course.

Stanlow was established by Shell to focus predominantly on blending and distributing imported oil products. In 1924, the plant expanded its operations to include manufacturing bitumen and specialty solvents. Manufacturing has taken place at Stanlow since 1924.

Workers digging the foundations at Stanlow in 1924 (Image: EET Fuels)

The need for refined fuels during World War II led to the production of aviation spirit at Stanlow – a vital component of the war effort. In 1949, recognising the importance of refineries being closer to customer markets, construction began on a fully-fledged crude oil refinery. This refinery was completed in 1952.

Prashant Ruia, chairman of EET, said: “For a century, Stanlow has kept Britain moving. We are immensely proud of the refinery's heritage and its unwavering commitment to supplying high-quality products and fuels safely and reliably. We want to recognise the thousands of colleagues who made this happen.

"And the Stanlow story is only just beginning. The massive transition strategy we are implementing, with the ambition of making Stanlow the world’s first low carbon refinery, as well as the UK’s leading producer of hydrogen as part of the HyNet consortium, is set to re-position Stanlow and the North West of England for the next 100 years and beyond, ensuring this iconic facility remains at the very heart of the UK’s industrial future.”

Essar Group acquired Stanlow in 2011. Since then, Essar has nurtured the close ties it has with its communities and invested over $1 billion in improvement initiatives.

Today, the Stanlow refinery remains a key national asset, with over 20,000 litres of crude entering the refinery’s operations every minute. Every year, Stanlow produces over 16% of the UK’s road transport fuels and remains a prominent supplier to some of the North West’s major retail fuel brands and supermarkets, Manchester Airport, leading commercial airlines and the region’s trains and buses. Stanlow employs over 700 people and a further 700 indirectly as part of the local supply chain. It also offers graduate and apprenticeship opportunities.

Deepak Maheshwari, CEO, EET Fuels, said: “Stanlow has continuously adapted and innovated over the past century to meet changing social, environmental and market needs and expectations. We are committed to securing the refinery's continued success for generations to come, while also playing a leading role in the UK's transition to a lower-carbon economy.”