UK Monopile Factory Changes Location, New Address at Teesworks

SeAH Wind Ltd will build a GBP 200-300 million UK XXL monopile manufacturing facility at Teesworks and not at Able UK’s Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP) on the South Bank of the Humber as initially planned.

SeAH Wind Ltd, a subsidiary of South Korea’s pipe manufacturer SeAH Steel Holdings, has not specified the reason for changing the location of the monopile factory.

Back in July 2021, SeAH Wind secured government funding to build the facility.

According to Teesworks, the firm’s newly selected 90-acre site will sit alongside the under-development South Bank Quay. It will create 750 direct jobs and 1,500 more in the supply chain and during construction.

When fully operational in 2026, it is expected that the factory will be able to produce between 100 and 150 monopiles per year.

It will be built on the 4.5 million square foot offshore wind and industrial space being created on 450 acres of land next to the wharf and heavy-lift South Bank Quay.

”When SeAH confirmed its UK investment, the aim was to contribute to the UK offshore wind industry by working with the UK Government. We are pleased to take the first yet significant step for this goal in Teesside. We will endeavour to make our factory globally competitive as well as become a good member of the community,” SeAH Steel Holdings CEO and President Joosung Lee said.

The first phase of the quay was recently awarded GBP 107 million of funding in the UK Infrastructure Bank’s first-ever investment. Piling to strengthen the quay wall is now taking place, with the full phase one 450-metre quay due to be complete by March 2023.

”Spades will be in the ground for this factory at the beginning of July, delivering hundreds of well-paid, good-quality construction jobs that will deliver this huge factory that will create 750 direct jobs for local people,” Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said.

”We’re wasting no time in clearing land and developing schemes like the South Bank Quay, which has proved a massive draw to SeAH as it is for other businesses in the offshore sector.”

In November 2021, Ørsted announced a multi-million pound agreement to be the first and lead customer for monopile foundations manufactured at the planned UK facility of SeAH Wind Limited.

The deal, subject to securing a Contract for Difference and Final Investment Decision (FID) for the 2.4 GW Hornsea Three offshore wind farm, would see the first-ever monopiles produced in the UK.

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