Tata Steel opens offshore wind supply centre in UK

Sep 19, 2012 - Indian Tata Steel Ltd (BOM:500470) yesterday opened an offshore processing centre in the UK that will produce welded tubular assemblies for jacket foundations of offshore wind turbines.

The GBP-2-million (USD 3.3m/EUR 2.5m) centre is located at the company's Hartlepool site in northeastern England, which features three tube mills. Tata Steel announced the investment in the facility in October last year.

The steelmaker said that the centre would help lower renewable energy costs. By supplying the offshore wind sector with components that can be readied for welding onto finished structures, the company would reduce throughput times and improve customer cost efficiency, it said. The components are to be stored in kit form for shipment to fabricators in the UK and Europe.

To complement its product portfolio, Tata Steel has agreed a supply partnership with German steel tube maker Eisenbau Kraemer, under which tubes with plus-400-mm (15.75 inch) diameter will be made by both companies, using plate from Tata Steel's factories in England and Scotland. Besides tubulars for jacket foundations, the Indian group will offer smaller tubes and sections for primary as well secondary steel work within turbine fabrications.

Deirdre Fox, Tata Steel energy and power sales and marketing director, said the company was committed to becoming a significant renewables industry supplier as the European Union's push to revamp the energy supply landscape gained momentum.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.625/EUR 1.244)

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