Eleven South Wales companies selected for offshore wind readiness programme

Eleven ambitious South Wales based businesses targeting success in the UK’s offshore wind market have been selected for the award-winning Fit For Offshore Renewables (F4OR) industry supply chain support programme.

F4OR, delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, is open to companies aiming to break into the offshore renewable energy sector, scale up an existing presence in the industry, or make the transition to renewables from sectors such as oil and gas.

This third Welsh F4OR programme will focus exclusively on businesses in the Swansea Bay region, with support equally funded by The Crown Estate and the Swansea Bay City Deal Skills and Talent Programme – a partnership led by four local authorities: Carmarthenshire Council, Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire Council and Swansea Council - together with Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David and others. 

Dr. Davood Sabaei, F4OR Programme Manager at ORE Catapult, said: “As we look to grow and expand the roll out of offshore wind in the years to come, it’s vital that we help UK businesses develop the opportunities to tap into the economic potential this can bring.

“Our partnership with The Crown Estate and the Swansea Bay City Deal perfectly positions us to offer talented, ambitious companies the chance to become part of the UK’s world-class supply chain. Successful completion of the F4OR programme will equip these businesses with the right combination of skills, expertise and leadership to capitalise on immense opportunities to win business, helping to create jobs and boost economic benefit in the region.”

The Celtic Sea is expected to play a key role in the UK’s journey towards Net Zero, with up to 4.5GW of floating wind set to be delivered through The Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5. This round could support the creation of 5,300 new jobs and deliver a £1.4 billion boost to the UK economy.

Rebecca Williams, Director of Devolved Nations at The Crown Estate, said: “It’s fantastic to work in partnership with ORE Catapult and the Swansea Bay City Deal to support these ambitious businesses across South Wales. The Celtic Sea is set to play a vital role in the continuation of the UK’s exciting offshore wind story and we’re eager to see these businesses make the most of the many opportunities presented by the deployment of floating offshore wind technology – supporting jobs, skills and a thriving supply chain in Wales.”

Jane Lewis, Regional Learning and Skills Partnership Manager at Carmarthenshire County Council, added: "This marks a truly thrilling moment for businesses throughout the region, as they stand poised to lead the charge into an era of fresh opportunity. By nurturing new skills and building a future-ready workforce, local companies can play a pivotal role in shaping the green energy landscape and ensuring South Wales is acknowledged as an area of industry transformation.”

Contact Information

F4OR is delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and has been created alongside industry experts to support the development of an increasingly competent, capable and competitive UK offshore renewable energy supply chain.

Over 170 companies have been supported through the programme since 2019, and this latest cohort will receive tailored business support focused on improving tender readiness and winning offshore wind contracts. Companies completing past F4OR programmes have experienced an average 26% increase in turnover, and many have become market-leading suppliers for the offshore wind sector.

About the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult

ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy, established in 2013 by the UK Government as part of a network of Catapults set up by Innovate UK in high growth industries.

Independent and trusted, with a unique combination of world-leading test and demonstration facilities, engineering and research expertise, ORE Catapult convenes the sector, delivering applied research, accelerating technology development, reducing risk and cost and enhancing UK-wide economic growth.

ORE Catapult operates in Glasgow, Blyth, Levenmouth, Aberdeen, the Humber, the East of England, the South West and Wales.

For more information, visit https://ore.catapult.org.uk/

About The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate has a diverse £15bn portfolio that includes urban centres and development opportunities; one of the largest rural holdings in the country; Regent Street and St James’s in London’s West End; and Windsor Great Park. We also manage the seabed and much of the coastline around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, playing a major role in the UK’s world leading offshore wind sector.

We are a unique business established by an Act of Parliament, tasked with growing the value of the portfolio for the nation and returning all of our net profit to HM Treasury for the benefit of public spending. This has totalled £5bn over the last ten years.

Through our activities and investments, The Crown Estate creates environmental, social and financial value both for now and into the long term. This includes:

• Playing a significant role in unlocking renewable energy for millions of homes through sectors such as offshore wind and creating opportunities for new technologies like CCUS and hydrogen to deliver the UK’s energy security transition, resulting in thousands of jobs for communities across the UK.
• Supporting the sustainable transformation of land use in the UK through diversified, regenerative agricultural and environmental best practice alongside a thriving natural world.
• Becoming recognised as a centre of excellence for environmental and ecological best practice across the Windsor Estate.
• Identifying and creating opportunities for thriving and resilient communities across the country to support regeneration, housing and innovation.
• Ensuring London retains its global city status, by fostering a more vibrant, greener and inclusive destination for millions of visitors and businesses.

About the Swansea Bay City Deal and the Regional Skills Partnership

The Skills and Talent programme supports the skills needs of the other eight projects and programmes within the Swansea Bay City Deal which are aligned to four themes which will help tackle structural challenges and reduce the economic performance gap between the Swansea Bay City Region and the rest of the UK. These themes are: 

• Economic Acceleration
• Life Science and Well-Being
• Energy and Smart Manufacturing
• Skills and Training

The thematic areas have potential for growth and are aligned to creating high technology and higher value jobs through start-up companies and the attraction of inward investment from larger businesses. 

The Regional Skills Partnership is driving forward the development of new skills required by industry now and in the future, developing the Employment and Skills Plan for Welsh Government for the  South West Wales region.

For more information, visit https://swanseabaycitydeal.wales/

For more information: Irene MacKinnon, PR Manager, 07563 393412, irene.mackinnon@ore.catapult.org.uk