NORTH-East firms involved in the fast growing offshore wind sector have formed their own cluster group to put the region at the forefront of the industry.
Last night the 19 companies announced they had formed Energi Coast, through which they will work together to promote the region as a natural home for firms in the sector and join forces to secure work.
Members include Tag Energy Solutions, which recently opened a plant producing turbine foundations at Haverton Hill, Billingham, CTC Marine Projects at Darlington which installs deepwater cables, JDR Cables at Hartlepool a world leader in producing turbine cables, underwater robot specialist SMD, which last year bought Hallin Robotics, of Malton, North Yorkshire and Darlington based Mech-Tool engineering, which has already won work in the sector.
Also signing up is Tata Steel which last week announced a £2m investment in its Hartlepool tube mills to enable them to provide components to anchor wind turbines to the seabed.
The firms involved have already invested almost £400m preparing themselves to take advantage of the offshore wind industry and have a combined turnover of £200m related to the sector.
The industry is enjoying massive growth, with nine sites planned under round three of the UK's offshore wind development programme in British waters alone and the global market set to be worth £1bn.
TAG Energy Solutions chief executive Alex Dawson has been appointed chairman of the new organisation.
He said: "North East England has the potential to become a global hub for the offshore renewables industry.
"It is a unique region in terms of geography, experience, infrastructure and technical capabilities.
"Having already substantially invested in offshore renewables, the region's supply chain has signalled it intentions to be a serious player in the global market."
The formation of the group is understood to have been under discussion since the summer.
It followed concerns that the closure of regional development agency One North East, which had championed renewables projects, could leave a void and slow momentum.
Durham City based energy sector support organisation NOF Energy has led the formation of the group.
Last night its chief executive George Rafferty said: "The North-East can be a home for the industry because the infrastructure is here.
"We have a very integrated supply chain that has built up over 40 years supplying North Sea oil and gas.
"A lot of the companies in the Energi Coast are already working together on oil and gas and transferring that integrated supply chain activity into offshore wind.
"There is a feeling we are already doing all of this together so lets address the offshore wind supply chain issues."
Deirdre Fox, Tata Steel's marketing director for energy and power said: "We are delighted to be part of this new organisation working towards building a hub of technology and expertise within the North East.
"Tata Steel is already investing significantly into our assets within the region.
"Involvement with Energi Coast enables us to work in close partnership with the other key players in the industry."
Stephen Wilson, business development manager, renewables, for CTC Marine said: "We are pleased to be a part of this new Energi Coast group.
"Uniquely this region has the whole of the offshore cable supply chain from design, survey, manufacture, installation and trenching, which CTC is an important part of."
"The region has all of the balance of plant capabilities, excluding the wind turbine, which will make it attractive to both EPC contractors and developers as a single supply chain source location."
The group's members currently employ around 6,000 people, which is forecast to grow by 30 percent as Round 3 offshore wind activities gather pace.
The members of Energi Coast are:
A&P Tyne Ltd
Able UK Ltd
Barrier Ltd
CTC Marine Projects
Heerema Fabrications Group
JDR Cables Ltd
McNulty Offshore Construction Ltd
Mech-Tool Engineering Ltd
MPI Offshore Ltd
NOF Energy
OGN Group
Port of Tyne
PDL Group (Europe) Ltd
Reef Subsea Power and Umbilical Ltd
TAG Energy Solutions Ltd
TATA Steel
Technip
SMD
Wilton Group
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