Five UK companies have successfully completed the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s industry-backed Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) Programme and achieved ‘Granted’ status.
KRG Specialist Engineering Services from the Scottish pilot programme and EnerMech, Proeon Systems, Stowen Clean Energy Ltd and TECOSIM Simulation Ltd, all part of the New Anglia cohort, have proven that they have the necessary business acumen and the know-how to apply their knowledge of the sector to target key corners of the market, and boost their chances of winning business in the growing global offshore renewables industry.
Achieving ‘Granted’ status as part of the business improvement and supply chain growth programme means these companies will now be in a better position to access new opportunities to engage with major industry stakeholders and potential future customers.
This brings the total number of companies ‘Granted’ under the scheme to 15, with another 43 companies being supported through F4OR programmes in Scotland, North East England, Norfolk and Suffolk, with a new cohort set to be recruited in North East Scotland. Previous ‘Granted’ companies have gone on to win major contracts in offshore renewables with companies such as Total and Steisdal Offshore.
Andrew Stormonth-Darling, ORE Catapult’s F4OR Programme Manager said: “It’s a pleasure to see another set of impressive companies join the ever-growing community of those with F4OR granted status.
“Over the last 12 months, these companies have benefitted from being part of a cohort, increasing their industry engagement, growing their confidence, raising their profile and their market awareness. They have developed new relationships, technologies, capabilities and experiences, adding value to the UK supply chain. Completing the programme also ensures that the positive culture of continuous improvement is embedded and sustained long term. I wish these five companies well in the coming months and hope that they will reap the rewards from their new ‘Granted’ status.”
Gerry Hughes, Managing Director of KRG Specialist Engineering Services added: “We are delighted to have achieved ‘granting’ status during such trying times and appreciate the continued support of the F4OR team.
KRG Specialist Engineering Services are now in an excellent position to support the offshore renewables sector, we look forward to tackling the head winds and supplying tangible benefits to a new client base.”
Ross McHardy, Regional Director at EnerMech added: “The F4OR programme is at the forefront of enabling the formation of a truly world-class domestic supply chain and accordingly, EnerMech is proud to be involved in the first cohort for the New Anglia region. Demonstrating a commitment to best practice, we consider achieving ‘granted status’ will afford us the key platform on which to build our future renewable energy business success.”
Dr Dorian Hindmarsh, Business Development Manager, Proeon: “We believe F4OR granted status is a benchmark of our continued development into the renewables sector and will act as an enabler for future business, continuous improvement and support our drive into a low carbon future.”
Kane Ford, Commercial Manager for Stowen Clean Energy: “The F4OR journey has driven Stowen Clean Energy to make necessary positive change, and by achieving granted status, that positive change will evidence to both internal and external stakeholders Stowen Clean Energy’s commitment to continuous improvement. Having F4OR granted status will support Stowen in our next chapter as the supplier of choice.”
“Stuart Hawker, Managing Director of TECOSIM UK, said: “Obtaining F4OR granted status is a fantastic achievement for us all here at TECOSIM, and is a key indicator of our commitment to the sector. It is an important step on our journey to utilising our cutting edge technologies from the Automotive and Aerospace industries in a new way, ideally placing us to further assist in offshore renewables projects and work towards national and global carbon neutral goals.”
Developed with input from the offshore renewables industry and based on the successful Fit 4 Nuclear Programme, ORE Catapult developed the F4OR business improvement programme in collaboration with HVM Catapult’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, with the aim of developing an increasingly competent, capable and competitive UK offshore renewable energy supply chain to ensure a strong representation of UK content in domestic projects, as well as supporting a vibrant export market.
The F4OR programme offers the opportunity for offshore wind developers to engage, contribute to and benefit from an initiative that encourages and supports improved supply chain performance. F4OR provides additional industry engagement opportunities for those already in the industry and promotes the cross-sector transfer of technologies.
About the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
ORE Catapult was established in 2013 by the UK Government and is part of a network of Catapults set up by Innovate UK in high growth industries. It is the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy.
Independent and trusted, with a unique combination of world-leading test and demonstration facilities and engineering and research expertise, ORE Catapult convenes the sector and delivers applied research, accelerating technology development, reducing risk and cost and enhancing UK-wide economic growth.
Active throughout the UK, ORE Catapult has operations in Glasgow, Blyth, Levenmouth, Aberdeen, Hull, the South West and Wales.
