A WIND turbine foundation plant, expected to create 400 jobs, will start production this month.

TAG Energy Solutions announced last year that it was to build the facility manufacturing foundations for offshore wind turbines at Haverton Hill, Billingham, near Stockton. Initially creating 100 jobs, a further 300 are likely to follow should orders at the £20m plant meet expectations.

The firm has invested £8m in manufacturing equipment and yesterday it said the plant should be online for production before the end of this month.

Sourced from specialist manufacturers from around the world, the equipment will be used for an automated production process, designed by TAG, which has the potential to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Constructed in readiness for the Round 3 offshore wind developments, the facility is the first of its kind in the UK and recruitment is under way for the first tranche of 100 workers.

TAG chief executive Alex Dawson said: “We have sourced the finest, most cutting- edge equipment on the market to create a unique automated system, which will effectively serve the offshore wind turbine industry.”

The firm is a key part of a growing North-East hub of offshore wind expertise, which includes Hartlepool firm JDR Cables, a world leader in producing turbine cables, the Tekmar Group, based in Newton Aycliffe, producing cable protection devices, Clipper Windpower developing the world’s largest turbine blade at a £25m plant near Newcastle, and Europe’s leading wind turbine testing factory at the New and Renewable Energy Centre, in Northumberland.