Coronavirus: Failsworth-born Sir Jim to build TWO hand sanitiser factories

Sir Jim Ratcliffe

A billionaire businessman who was raised in Failsworth has pledged to build two hand sanitiser factories in just ten days.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is one of the country’s richest men, has announced his firm Ineos is building the two factories in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Sir Jim, who was born and raised in Failsworth, said his firm aims to produce a million bottles of hand sanitiser a month when the plants are in operation.

Sixty-seven-year-old Mr Ratcliffe lived in Failsworth until the age of 10 when his family moved to East Yorkshire.

Talks are now taking place with the NHS on supplying the products to hospitals for free.

One factory will be at Ineos site at Newton Aycliffe, near Middlesbrough, and the other will be in Germany.

Sir Jim said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that hand to mouth infection is a significant cause of Coronavirus contagion and Imeos is Europe’s largest manufacturer of the core ingredient of hand sanitiser.

“We will build two factories in the UK and Germany in 10 days to produce very substantial supplies.”

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