US Ambassador Woody Johnson visits Teesside - this is what he had to say

Mr Johnson and Mayor Houchen visited major US businesses that have a Tees Valley base, including transportation systems firm Cubic, pigment and additive business Venator and energy giant ConocoPhillips.

They also visited the South Tees Development Corporation site in Redcar, where Mr Johnson heard from a major American firm that is in talks to invest hundreds of millions of pounds into the site.

The Mayor secured the visit with a view to ramping up the discussions surrounding the US investor and future inward investment into the region after Mr Johnson met yesterday with the Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss MP, to discuss a UK-US trade deal.

Mr Houchen said: “As a country there is no relationship more important as the one we have with our US friends.

“As a region we have a wealth of US based companies doing fantastic work, investing hundreds of millions of pounds into our regional economy and employing hundreds of local people.

“The strong and enduring links between our two nations will ultimately benefit everyone living here in the Tees Valley as we leave the European Union.”

Mr Johnson said: “Great to be in Teesside where there is so much US investment in the UK. This really highlights what we have always said, increased US-UK trade and investment means more and better jobs and more prosperity for both our countries.”