A South Tyneside engineering business is celebrating after a hat-trick of wins on one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms.
Metec UK has fulfilled a contract to produce and supply 1,700 ‘sacrificial’ anodes for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm in the North Sea.
Experts at Metec engineered and manufactured the anodes to exact dimensions to ensure they could easily be welded to the anode cages and that they would protect the wind farm’s foundations from the harshest of elements.
The project represents a significant milestone for Metec and marks a hat-trick on the Hornsea Zone projects, having previously supplied the same type of anodes for Hornsea 1, Hornsea 2 and now Hornsea 3 over the past nine years.
Simon Cross, operations manager at Metec, said:
“Supporting all three phases of one of the world’s largest offshore wind farm zones is a testament to the fantastic team we’re fortunate to have here in South Shields.
“Over the past 30 years, we have built a stellar reputation for our technical capability, manufacturing consistency and proven track record when it comes to delivering large-scale corrosion protection solutions and this further builds on that success.”
Situated 120 km off the UK’s east coast, Hornsea 3 is being delivered by Orsted at a cost of around £11billion. Upon completion, it will have the capacity to power more than three million British homes, making it one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms.
Metec worked closely with fellow North East business Smulders on the project, which was procured to produce the gargantuan steel structures used in the turbine’s foundations.
The wind farm is the latest in a string of offshore developments which Metec has supported and Simon believes that the recent Government-backed auction for new clean power projects, which saw a record number of offshore wind projects come to fruition, means the team is perfectly placed to benefit from the transition to a Net Zero economy.
“The rise of the offshore wind industry has helped us really diversify our offering and continue to grow our presence in the North East over the past decade,” Simon said.
“On top of the three Hornsea developments, we’ve also supplied anodes for several other developments and as more wind farms come online, we are hopeful that it will lead to an even healthier pipeline of work over the coming years. It’s a really exciting time for the business.”
Metec opened its UK renewables and maritime arm in South Shields in 2016 and has since worked closely with South Tyneside Council.
staff at the Metec’s UK manufacturing hub in South Tyneside
Last year, the company received a £50,000 grant from the council towards a £350,000 project to install a solar panel array and new roof to the company’s Shaftesbury Avenue HQ, as well as invest in new LED lighting.
Metec has also signed up to the South Tyneside Pledge, a borough-wide initiative encouraging businesses to support local employment, skills and supply chains.
Cllr Margaret Meling, lead member for economic growth at South Tyneside Council, said:
“As well as helping establish South Tyneside as a hotbed for advanced engineering, the company has also created apprenticeship and skilled job opportunities for local people and through the South Tyneside Pledge has gone above and beyond to benefit the local community and businesses. It is a real success story for the borough and I’m sure the best is still yet to even come.”
South Tyneside’s location on the banks of the River Tyne, and its proximity to opportunities in the North Sea, puts it right at the heart of the UK’s offshore energy sector. For more information see Offshore Energy – Invest South Tyneside
