South Tyneside manufacturer wins big on offshore wind
Tuesday 27 July 2021
South Tyneside manufacturer Metec UK has won two multi-million pound contracts on Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
Metec UK manufactures sacrificial anodes for the long-term protection of steel jackets and foundations against corrosion, and is used in the offshore renewable energy industry.
The fast-growing company, established only four years ago, will supply cathodic protection sacrificial anodes for transition pieces and monopiles, for the first two phases of the record-breaking wind farm.
Built by SSE Renewables and operated by Equinor, the wind farm has already created or supported thousands of new jobs and will be built in three phases, Dogger Bank A, B and C.
Alberto Via, UK Managing Director of METEC UK, said:
“Over the last six months we’ve been absolutely delighted to win a number of domestic and international contracts, including in Scotland, France and Holland. These latest successes – and in particular the flagship Dogger Bank Wind Farm contract – justifies our commitment to South Tyneside, the north-east and the UK. Our success demonstrates our ability to support large, important and prestigious renewable energy projects of this nature throughout the UK and Europe.
“We have the capacity, capability and expertise at Metec that places us right at the heart of where we need to be in an industry which is set to see significant growth and investment over the next 10 years.
“As a young, ambitious and expanding company, which has invested over £4 million in premises and furnaces since 2017, we expect to see further growth throughout 2021. We are in this for the long term and we’re very excited for the future of Metec and the industry as a whole.”
Metec UK, which has manufacturing facilities in South Shields and Tunisia with representation around the globe, is a leading manufacturer of corrosion protection for high value subsea assets. Initially employing just six people, the company now has 45 people within its business.
Halfdan Brustad, Vice President for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said:
“As we build up our operations in South Tyneside it’s great to see a local company not only win this flagship contract with the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, but also exporting to other countries.
“With ambitious targets to quadruple UK capacity in the next decade, the offshore wind industry provides billions of pounds of supply chain opportunities, and in supporting UK companies we will also build up a competitive supply chain that can win international contracts.
“We look forward to continuing to work with UK companies, particularly in northern England where we will operate the wind farm for decades to come.”
Metec UK is a sub-contractor with Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s tier one contractor, Smulders. Smulders was selected for the supply, fabrication and fit-out of the secondary steel for the transition pieces in late 2020. Smulders will work alongside Sif, the company selected to provide fabrication and supply of 190 monopiles and primary steel for the transition pieces.