DEME’s offshore wind road show

Each of the 13 nationwide events -organised between November and December 2015- were well attended with over 500 delegates registered in total.

DEME’s offshore wind roadshow event has been organised in cooperation with UK business associations to facilitate collaboration with local companies. The dredging, environmental and marine engineering group held over 250 one-to-one discussions with a large number of specialist and general suppliers offering a range of relevant services including steel fabrication, port services during construction and operation, engineering consultancy and accommodation for contractors.

As well as learning more about what the UK supply chain has to offer, DEME’s aim was to give UK suppliers an opportunity to learn more about the company and its current and future offshore wind projects both in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Local suppliers who are eager to do business with DEME and with the offshore wind industry in general could register their interest and capabilities with DEME’s procurement department.

RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Maf Smith said “These roadshows are a great success. They highlight how strong the appetite is among UK businesses for getting involved in the offshore wind industry. These events have real benefit in letting local suppliers know just how many opportunities there are in offshore wind projects. We hope that the discussions they’ve prompted over the past few weeks will grow into lasting working relationships.”

DEME Group’s involvement in the UK offshore business dates back to the early years of offshore wind. Through its operating companies GeoSea and Tideway, DEME has already worked on many UK projects like Greater Gabbard, London Array, Gwynt y Môr, Ormonde, Blyth, Walney I + II, Teesside, Humber Gateway, Rhyl Flats, Westermost Rough, West of Duddon Sands and Kentish Flats. As lifecycle expert, DEME Group successfully decommissioned the Docking Shoal met mast and has several ongoing maintenance contracts in UK waters.

By giving the UK supply chain early visibility and access to its procurement requirements and processes, DEME is helping to support the UK and Scottish governments’ objectives to maximise the UK content of offshore wind farms.

The UK Roadshows were supported by business associations like Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, NOF Energy, Furness Economic Development Forum, LEP Liverpool, Invest Northern Ireland, EEEGR, Grimsby Renewable Partnership / LEP Humber and Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. The events were organized at 13 different locations from Glasgow, Inverness, Wick, Aberdeen, Sedgefield, Barrow-in-Furness, Liverpool, Belfast, Grimsby, Norwich, Colchester, Ashford to London.

By Jake Frith