The joint venture (JV) of Bauer Technologies and Keller UK has been awarded the piling contract for the construction of a new £300m wind turbine monopile manufacturing facility in Teesside.
When fully operational, the facility is expected to produce between 100 and 150 monopiles per year, for transporting directly from the factory to Teesworks’ new South Bank facility, before heading to the North Sea for installation.
Across a 90-acre site, the project will be the world’s largest monopile plant for offshore wind foundations once completed. It is due to start production in 2024 and be operating at full capacity in 2026.
“This project is extremely high profile, ultimately manufacturing the offshore wind monopiles foundations, a critical component of the UK’s necessary shift towards renewable energy generation,” said Michael Jones, managing director of Bauer Technologies.
“As both Bauer and Keller are committed to sustainability, this project aligns completely with our sustainability aims.”
David de Sousa Neto, managing director of Keller UK, added: “We are delighted to be a part of this project which demonstrates BKJV’s capabilities, by bringing up to 14 rigs onto the project to perform both CFA and rotary piles in order to support the client to achieve its ambitious deadline.”
Bauer Keller Joint Venture (BKJV) has been appointed by SeAH Wind Ltd to provide multiple rigs to install approximately 1500nr bored piles (1180-1050mm diameter) to around 35mbgl and approximately 5500nr CFA piles (600/750/900mm diameter) to around 28mbgl.
BKJV will also provide resources to probe pile locations to identify obstructions/slag within the ground to be removed or considered for an updated design.
Works on the project commenced in June 2022 and are expected to run well into mid-2023.
Bauer Technologies is a subsidiary of the BAUER Group and Keller UK is a subsidiary of Keller Group.