Credit: Ledwood Mechanical Engineering
Three local companies selected to take part in Fit 4 Offshore Renewables programme in support of pioneering Celtic Sea floating wind farm projects
The industry and government backed Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has this week announced that three Welsh companies have been selected to take part in the country's first Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme.
The initiative is being delivered in partnership with Floventis Energy, the developer of the Llŷr 1 and 2 floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea, and is specifically designed to support local companies bidding for work in Wales' nascent floating offshore wind industry.
Ledwood Mechanical Engineering, Mainstay Marine Solutions, and CELSA Steel UK were yesterday named as the first three companies to join the programme.
"After a huge response to our call for Welsh companies, we are excited to announce the three excellent companies chosen for F4OR Wales that are leading the way in becoming part of a world-class supply chain," said Davood Sabaei, F4OR project manager at ORE Catapult. "This is the first time that our F4OR programme has been tailored exclusively for the floating wind market, and F4OR Wales has been designed to give businesses the skills and expertise to deliver success in this rapidly growing sector."
F4OR is a 12 to 18-month programme, designed alongside industry experts, which has been running across the UK since 2019. To date, five F4OR regional programmes have been delivered in the North East of Scotland, North East of England, East Anglia and Suffolk, alongside national programmes run across Scotland and UK-wide.
Over 110 companies have been supported, with participants experiencing an average 28 per cent increase in turnover and many securing a wide range of new contracts with the renewables industry, ORE Catapult said.
Cardiff-based CELSA is a producer of circular and low-emission steel, which recycles ferrous scrap to produce steel in electric arc furnaces. The company said inclusion in the F4OR programme would support its efforts to supply materials, fabrication, and installation services to the floating offshore wind supply chain.
Similarly, Mainstay Marine Solutions is based in Pembroke Dock and has a history of boat building, engineering, and marine services. The company and its 65-strong team is now exploring how it could support the wave of floating offshore wind projects planned for the Celtic Sea.
Also based in Pembroke Dock, Ledwood Mechanical Engineering employs 250 and provides mechanical and fabrication services to the energy and petrochemical sectors. Having been granted Fit for Nuclear status by the Nuclear AMRC, Ledwood is currently working on the UK's nuclear new build programme, but is also exploring the potential to provide services to the floating wind industry.
Nick Revell, managing director at Ledwood Mechanical Engineering, said: "It's an honour to have been selected for F4OR Wales, alongside Mainstay and CELSA, and we look forward to preparing our business for the emerging floating offshore wind industry. We've seen first-hand the benefit that industry programmes can have, as Fit For Nuclear helped us prepare to bid for and win work in the nuclear supply chain; benchmarking our performance against the standards demanded by the nuclear industry's top tiers and driving business improvements through a tailored action plan."
Cian Conroy, head of project development for UK and Ireland at Floventis Energy, said it was "critical" floating offshore wind developers work closely with potential suppliers to maximise the economic opportunity from the sector.
"We're delighted that so many great companies took the time to apply for the programme and look forward to working with Ledwood, Celsa and Mainstay Marine on the F4OR programme over the coming months to prepare them for forthcoming opportunities in the Celtic Sea and beyond," he added.
ORE Catapult also confirmed plans for future F4OR Wales cohorts are already in the pipeline and further details are to be announced in the coming months.
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