Construction works have got underway for SeAH Wind’s new £400m offshore wind foundation factory in Teesside.
The South Korean steel manufacturer’s 1.13 million square foot facility will produce bases for offshore wind turbines and will be based at Redcar’s Teesworks industrial zone.
It is the first scheme driven by private sector investment to begin construction at any UK Freeport, Teesworks said.
To mark the occasion, politicians, business leaders and key stakeholders visited the site for a formal Signing Ceremony, followed by presentations and a question-and-answer session ahead of the ground-breaking.
When fully operational, the scheme will create 750 jobs, with a further 1,500 indirect jobs in the supply chain during construction.
SeAH Wind said it is committed to supporting the local workforce and has previously held engagement events so businesses from across the region could learn how they can get involved as work on the factory ramps up.
When complete, the facility is expected to produce between 100 and 150 monopiles per year which will be transported directly from the factory to Teesworks’ under-construction South Bank Quay before heading to the North Sea for installation using specialised pile driving equipment.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen (pictured centre-left) welcomed of SeAH Steel Holdings president and CEO Joosung Lee (right), SeAH Wind managing director Chris Sungwhal Sohn (centre-right) and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP (left) to the Teesworks site to mark the occasion.
Houchen said: “Today is a monumental day years in the making. Since 2017 we’ve had a challenging time to secure all of the land at Teesworks and have worked hard to get it remediated and investor-ready as quickly as possible.
“The first building blocks are now in place to create hundreds of high-quality, well-paid jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool for generations to come.
“And those numbers will only grow as the other transformational projects we’ve got lined up mark us out as the driving force behind the UK’s low carbon ambitions.”
Lee said: “SeAH Wind will be the first XXL monopile foundation fabrication facility in the UK.
“With this massive factory it will signal a successful revival of the manufacturing sector in Teesside, as well as setting a great example for the UK government’s initiative to support a green industrial revolution.”
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “It’s fantastic to witness the ground-breaking for the UK’s first monopile factory which will see Teesside laying the foundations for the future of offshore wind in the UK.
“This plant can be a cornerstone of our new world-class manufacturing base, bringing even more jobs to the region, while helping to strengthen Britain’s energy security.
“We’re incredibly proud to support this investment and I’m grateful to Mayor Ben Houchen and SeAH for making this nationally-significant project a reality.”
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader Mary Lanigan said: “This really is a real breakthrough moment – the day when the potential of our borough and our region to be right at the forefront of the green industrial revolution starts to become reality.
“This is about quality jobs for our people in the near future and for many years to come and we are all determined that it marks only the beginning of what will be achieved at our world class industrial site and port.”