A Landmark for Japan: Inside the Nation's First XXXL Monopile Production Plant

In a bold milestone for Japans commitment to offshore wind energy, JFE Engineering Corporation has inaugurated the nations first XXXL Monopile production plant. Located in Kasaoka, the facility is not just a new chapter in industrial manufacturing; its the first completely new facility built by JFE Engineering Corporation in nearly half a century, underlining the scale and ambition of the project.

The journey for the new factory began in July 2021 with the securing of permits and has culminated in a world class production line equipped with next-generation systems from global technology leaders.

A Vision for a World-Class Production Line

At the heart of the new facility is a strategy centered around sustainability and efficiency. JFE Engineering Corporation selected wider and heavier steel plates, including the premium-grade J-TerraPlate™™, to streamline the welding process, reduce emissions, and minimize fabrication costs. To bring this vision to life, the company sought equipment partners with proven performance, scalability, and technical precision.

The Heart of the Factory: A State-of-the-Art Bending Solution

Among the key innovations integrated into the plant is a complete plate-bending solution resulting from a strategic partnership between Faccin and Okaya. This contract was awarded from a global pool of suppliers due to its clear advantages in productivity, safety, technical precision, and customization.

The core of this uniquely tailored solution features two identical heavy-duty bending lines, each combining an integrated handling system with a GIGAROLL 4R 4200x150 four-roll plate bending machine. These powerful GIGAROLL systems can efficiently form large cones and cylinders up to 12,000 mm in diameter (expandable to 15,000 mm) and accommodate substantial plate thicknesses up to 130 mm. This provides JFE with unmatched flexibility and accuracy in its manufacturing processes.

Precision, Automation, and Quality Control

The Faccin solution is engineered for precision at an immense scale.

• Each bending line includes a sophisticated system for handling steel plates over 40 meters in length, with rollers supporting the plates to reduce friction and preserve surface quality.
• To ensure absolute control, each GIGAROLL line is equipped with EYE BEND, a laser-based real-time measurement system that delivers continuous feedback on the bending radius. This advanced monitoring enhances automation and significantly speeds up inspection processes, which is critical in the wind energy sector where component precision affects performance and longevity.
• The hydraulic systems feature a custom four-motor configuration, ensuring continuous operability even during maintenance and significantly reducing downtime.

From Vision to Reality: A Milestone Achieved

Adhering to a tight construction schedule, the Faccin team successfully met all delivery and commissioning milestones. The plants official inauguration took place on March 19, 2024, and just weeks later, on April 1st, the facility officially commenced the production of monopiles.

The plants initial production target is 100,000 tons of plate per year, a goal that will support more than 400 new jobs and strengthen Japans domestic capacity to meet its growing offshore wind deployment goals.

This new plant, powered by state of the art Faccin technology, is more than just a factory. It is a strategic national asset for Japans energy transition, setting a new global benchmark for monopile manufacturing.

Learn more about Faccin Group's advanced metal forming solutions: www.faccingroup.com