A fledgling haulage training firm is on the road to success after being set up as a direct result of the collapse of the Redcar steelworks.

The company has turned over £1 million inside its first year in business.

Dan Wilcox, 54, was left facing an uncertain future when SSI pulled the plug at the steelworks. He had worked there for five years having started when the operation was relaunched in 2010.

Dan, who had a haulage background behind him prior to working for SSI, sat down with his family to discuss the options open to him; and he was surprised when stepson Matt Switzer suggested teaming up and going into long-distance lorry driving.

Dan said: “That was all I really knew, and at my age there wasn’t a lot of options for me.  Matt agreed to come on board, and set about sorting out some HGV driving lessons. He did some research, and it turned out he couldn’t get a lesson for three months. I remember it so well, we were sat at home in the conservatory, and it just clicked there and then.”

“A shortage of training meant there was a shortage of drivers, it was an obvious gap in the market, and we got our heads together and drew up a business plan.”

Dan and Matt went to the Five Lamps organisation – which was one of the bodies controlling the grant money which was going from SSI towards start-up businesses – and were accepted for £10,000 which helped them get the wheels in motion.

After financing two HGVs, nine former SSI workers were brought on board to learn a new trade followed by eight young trainee drivers all trained in partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education.

Just 12 months on, Cleveland LGV Training now has 16 trucks, a 19-strong workforce and has turned over £1m by landing lucrative contracts with some large businesses in import/export.  The company are predicting to turnover in excess of £2m in their second year.