JDR Cables breaks ground on Blyth subsea cable factory

UK subsea cable manufacturer JDR Cable Systems Ltd said today it is starting construction of its new plant in Cambois, near Blyth, Northumberland.

According to the company, which is part of Poland-based TFK Group, the GBP-130-million (USD 149m/EUR 149m) factory will be the UK’s only facility capable of start-to-finish production of high-voltage subsea cables for offshore wind farms. The facility, 69,000 sq m (742,710 sq ft) in size, is due to come onstream by 2024. The construction phase is supporting 171 local jobs.

JDR chief executive Tomasz Nowak remarked that the region of Cambois and the east coast of the UK “has plans to connect an incredible amount of energy infrastructure in the coming years.”

JDR announced it would proceed with the project, which is backed by the UK government’s Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support Scheme, in September last year. UK construction group Galliford Try Holdings PLC (LON:GFRD) recently announced the award of a GBP-65-million construction contract as part of the project.

(GBP 1 = USD 1.147/EUR 1.148)

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