Chinese steel bosses have visited the UK to outline how they would take forward British Steel.
Jingye officials flew into Humberside Airport on a private company jet, making the short journey to the Scunthorpe headquarters in North Lincolnshire, after a near nine hour flight.
A presentation was given to management and union leaders after the exclusivity window granted to the Official Receiver’s preferred bidder, Turkish firm Ataer Holding, expired.
British Steel has been in compulsory liquidation since May, when debts of £880 million were revealed.
Then owner Greybull was removed from control, with the government official and special managers brought in.
Jingye has long been linked , with government officials keeping communication open through the 10-week hiatus since Ataer were granted the due diligence opportunity.
Paul McBean, multi-union committee chairman for British Steel’s Scunthorpe site, said Jingye chairman Li Gampo led the presentation.
We saw them and they met with the management team, which I am a part of,” he said.
“My general secretary came up and we met with them privately and after that, we discussed things and everything is looking very positive.
“They were here at first and couldn’t complete a deal so they are back and very, very interested and will do their due diligence, but everything is looking fine. They are here and they like what they saw.
“The chairman has been impressed with the workforce’s dedication and skill-sets. He has been around, meeting workforce and he was really impressed.”
Mr McBean has just returned from Turkey, from where he reported interest was still strong , despite last week’s deadline slip.
He said: “Ataer is still on the table and doing due diligence. I don’t know what the hold-up for them is but the Chinese, if it was to fall into place, want to conclude very quickly.
“I like both of the companies and their investment plans, so I am happy to endorse either one but I was very impressed with the Chinese.
“They understand it needs a lot of investment and they are quite happy to do that, which was music to our ears and it was all positive.
“My understanding is Ataer hasn’t gone away but the Chinese are now back, they came to see us and did a presentation on what they do and where they are from and they want us to be part of that.”
Liberty House Group is also understood to be interested in the business, which also has a strong manufacturing presence in the North East.
It is understood the Jingye Group delegation flew direct from Hebei Province to Humberside in the Bombardier Global 6000 craft, described as a luxurious ultra-long-range business jet, with a £45 million price tag when new. It caught the attention of several at the airport, with the livery leaving no doubt as to the reasons it was there.
The plane is not the first Chinese arrival to set tongues wagging on the Humber this month, with super yacht Ocean Dreamwalker III mooring in Grimsby, then Hull. It is owned by Chinese tech tycoon ‘John’ Deng Zhonghan, but its presence was due to stormy weather on a passing from Scotland to Cornwall, rather than business interests as speculated by onlookers.
