Middlesbrough was historically a heavy industrial centre and, as such, has suffered from industrial decline in the past. Over the last few decades, however, much has been done to rebuild the economy and regenerate the town. In this report we will look at what is happening now and what is planned for the future.

For many years the major steelworks here was Middlesbrough’s key industry and employer. After many years of decline the plant finally closed in 2015 with the loss of over 3,000 direct jobs. The town still retains an industrial base, however. It is a major European chemical manufacturing and processing centre and Teesport is the UK’s fifth largest port. Newer and emerging industries include modern manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, digital and creative, professional services, energy and renewables.

TeesAMP, or the Teesside Advanced Manufacturing Park, opened in 2020 and has been very successful in attracting advanced manufacturing businesses. Initially established by the local authority the park has recently been sold to a private operator.

While the local authority for the area is Middlesbrough Council, the town falls, alongside nearby towns, within the auspices of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), which was formed in 2016. The TVCA Mayor, Conservative Ben Houchen, was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021 and 2024. He enjoys popular support locally and has taken a very proactive role in attracting new investment into the area.

Middlesbrough, the adjoining South Tees area and nearby Hartlepool have mayoral development corporations which have been established to take forward development of their respective areas. Teesside Freeport was launched as a special economic zone by a previous government back in 2021. It comprises several sites including at Teesport, the former steelworks and the region’s airport.
Middlesbrough has been nominated as the sixth best small city, as a result of its foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy, in the 2024/25 Financial Times European Cities and Regions of the Future report.