SeAH, Severfield and Houchen reveal details of British Steel deal

The £450 million SeAH Wind site in the former steelworks will be home to an 800 meter long building that will be the largest monopile turbine in the world and the first of its kind in the UK, providing the columns beneath the massive blades of wind turbines.

Almost 400 people are now employed at the site, there are a total of 750 direct jobs and 1,500 will be added via the supply chain.

• To receive a free copy of BUSINESSiQ magazine FREE in the mail, register HERE

A landmark deal worth well over £100 million was signed today to use British Steel for the main construction. SeAH, British Steel and the Northallerton-based manufacturer Severfield agreed to work together.

SeAH’s David Jack told The Northern Echo: “Our decision to use British Steel is a vote of confidence because the companies we choose are not only local but also the best of their kind in Europe.”

“Using British Steel with the high quality and then having the opportunity to work with Severfield really made a lot of sense.

Work on the SeAH site (Image: Newsquest)

“With the same thinking in mind, we are already starting to work our first apprentices with Hartlepool College and we are talking about running a bespoke, employer-led program with Nutec so that we can make the most of the local talent that is either established or are already established.” have the skills or will develop these skills further in the future.

“Of all the people we employ, almost 90 per cent are based in the Teesside area, as are many local contractors building the factory. The local content value of each monopile we produce will be hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

The project’s schedule reflects its scope: 36-meter-long columns have already been installed for the cranes, which will arrive early next year. The installation program for the equipment that is available in various parts of Europe and Korea can then follow.

SeAH is on track to begin commissioning the factory in late 2024. The first monopiles are already under contract and are scheduled to be delivered in mid-2025.

David told us: “We are very happy with everything so far, now we just need to focus on delivering the contract not only to the local community but also to the government and our customers because they have placed a contract with great confidence into the project.”

In Northallerton, Severfield is the UK’s leading structural steel expert with projects including the retractable roof of Wimbledon No.1 Court, Spurs Stadium in London and The Shard.

When director Harry Price toured the SeAH site today he told us: “It’s a fantastic project for us. Obviously you can see the scale of it all here, with a significant amount of steel being manufactured that will keep us busy for a while.

“But it’s just great to have a project so close to our headquarters. A large proportion of our workforce is based in the North East, so having a local project for them to work on is perfect.

Expertise from British Steel and Severfield (Image: Newsquest)

“The most important thing for us is confidence that people will continue to invest in the UK and British manufacturing and construction projects like this across the country.”

“Severfield is a member of the five percent club, so at least five percent of our employees are trainees. We want to increase the number of our trainees in this company and increase local employment, but that requires projects like this.”

For Teesside Mayor Ben Houchen, the decision to buy British is a pivotal moment as it now provides a template for the major tenants who will be SeAH’s neighbors to do the same.

“It shows it’s not just about investors, but also other local businesses that can help, like this deal for 700 jobs at British Steel,” he told us.

“We are still producing steel in Teesside, Lackenby and at the Skinningrove Rolling Mill and I am pleased to say that this contract not only means we are building the largest monopoly factory in the world, but that the steel will come from just a few hundred meters away.”

“But it also shows future investors that we have the necessary expertise. We have the companies, we have the people, we have the skills, we have the talent. So if you want to come to Teesside you don’t have to worry about whether we’ll build a factory and whether you’ll be able to fill those jobs. People want the work, they have the energy, they have the skills, they have the appetite.

Continue reading:

“I have already said that I will stand for a third term as Mayor of Tees Valley and I am approaching it with excitement because what we are seeing now has been a lot of hard work from me over the last six years From the closure of the steel mill to the time we put a lot of work into new investments, there was desperation in this area.

“People are starting to recognize this turnaround. The next four years will be incredible as these projects begin to be completed and SeAH opens. They will create thousands of jobs.

“What this ultimately means – and what is most important to me – is that local people have the opportunity to build a life and a career in our region, rather than feeling like they have to leave.”