MDC Update June 10
Thu, 27 May 2010
Opportunities to Supply Wind Power Generation Equipment to Major Global Corporation
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is China’s largest aircraft manufacturer with an extensive network of development, production and related business operations, as well as investment institutions. The company develops and manufactures military and civil aircraft, missiles, aeroengine and airborne equipment, and also has research capabilities in aerodynamics, structures, flight testing, materials, manufacturing technology, computational methods and automatic control.
With over 20 listed companies, the corporation has significant presence in European and American markets and has interests in a number of sectors internationally including Wind Power.
On 9th June, MDC and NDI are hosting a number of AVIC’s wind power companies, who are seeking to meet wind power equipment manufacturers or companies in the supply chain with a view to future collaboration. The group includes the following companies:
- AVIC Renewable Energy Coroporation. Interest: wind power equipment and other renewable energy investments.
- AVIC Huide Wind Power Engineering Co., Ltd. Interest: on & offshore turbines, wind power equipment.
- AVIC Huiteng Windpower Equipment Co., Ltd. Interest: wind turbine blades.
- AVIC Beijing Keeven Aviation Instrument Co., Ltd. Interest: wind power control systems.
- AVIC Motor Control System Institute. Interest: Photovoltaic, Wind Power inverter and electric control systems.
- AVIC Powerplant Research Institute. Interest: wind power gear boxes.
You are invited to meet these companies at the NDI / MDC offices in Newcastle on 9th June. The meeting will include a briefing from the AVIC delegation followed by a series of one-to-one meetings.
Attendance is free of charge although registration is essential. To register, please call 0191 255 1710 or email events@marinedesigncentre.com, indicating which companies you would like to meet.
New Tyneside Office for Houlder
MDC member, employee-owned marine engineering business, Houlder Ltd. has announced the opening of a new permanent office in Boldon, Tyne & Wear. The move is designed to secure high quality, sophisticated ship design capability in the North East for the company.
With a history dating back over a century, Houlder has become renowned for sharing knowledge and skills gained through considerable project experience. This includes significant shipbuilding and related design projects from the North East particularly in the Oil & Gas and Defence sectors. Notable examples include major conversions of Polar Queen and Normand 7 with A&P Tyne and the supply of Royal Navy handling equipment with PJ Engineering in Southshields.
The new office in South Tyneside’s Boldon Business Park is initially home to a team of four to six draughtspeople and engineers with plans to firmly establish it as a regional centre for the business.
“Houlder recognise the importance of the North East and when the chance came to establish an office, we leapt at it. The alternative would have been knowledge and experience moving away and valuable commercial opportunities being missed.“ says Houlder’s Managing Director, Rupert Hare.
The Boldon team will immediately start working on a range of projects for marine and offshore developers, owners and operators both in the region and beyond.
In partnership with PJ Engineering, Houlder recently delivered the 34th and final 3.5t SWL C-type davit as part of a contract with the Ministry of Defence. The davits have been installed onboard Royal Navy Type 22 and Type 23 frigates, with a bespoke design allowing deployment of four different military rigid inflatable boat (RIB) variants, including the latest Pacific 24, in heavy seas up to sea state 7.
Bangladesh Deal for A&P Tyne
Congratulations to MDC member A&P Tyne on winning a contract which secures hundreds of jobs. The firm beat off fierce competition to seal a prestigious multi-million pound deal to refit two offshore patrol vessels for the Bangladeshi Navy.
The vessels will be towed to Tyneside shortly to commence the project, which includes an overhaul of the vessels' main engines, gearboxes, shafts and motors, the installation of new diesel generators and deck cranes and an upgrade of the crew’s accommodation. Specialist staff from the yard will also train 66 Bangladeshi naval crew members to operate the ships.
The ex-HMS Dumbarton Castle and Leeds Castle, fitted with flight decks capable of supporting Sea King helicopters, retired from Royal Navy service in 2005.
£Multi-million contract for Stauff
We are also delighted to report that MDC member, Stauff, has signed a multi-million pound contract for the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The contract, for both the mechanical couplings and pipe hanger packages of work, follows more than seven years of support work to BAE Systems Surface Ships throughout the design stages of the programme.
Head of Stauff Defence & Marine, Andrew Shaw, said, “The sheer size and complexity of the QEC project makes the budgets very tight on all aspects of the design and build stages. Having proven our competitiveness, quality of service and supply capabilities on both the Type 45 and Astute build programmes, we had to design and propose a commercial off-the-shelf product line and yet still maintain the quality and unique capabilities demanded by the UK MOD. Products such as our pipe hanger, the Stauff PPDA clamp, are unique in meeting of all these requirements - commercial off-the-shelf solutions, adapted to MoD standards and fully approved by the UK MOD.”
Perry Slingsby Systems to Expand
MDC member, Perry Slingsby Systems, is creating new jobs as it doubles its turnover to £40 million. The firm, the leading supplier of deepwater work-class ROV and tooling solutions and the #1 supplier in remote intervention technologies, has been given the green light to build a new extension at its premises in Kirbymoorside.
Kevin Taylor, the firm’s general manager, said the company had decided to consolidate its two main manufacturing units, in Kirkbymoorside and Florida, USA, into a single one based in the North Yorkshire market town. Mr Taylor said that while the business had changed hands over the years, the core work had continued and grown.
The estimated turnover for the Kirkbymoorside factory this year is £40 million, he said, and the projected staff numbers will increase by 25 to 160.
Japanese contract for Solar Solve Marine
Congratulations to MDC member, sun screen specialist Solar Solve Marine, which is to provide its famous marine anti-glare screens for Japanese car and truck carrier Hoegh Caribia, owned by Gram Car Carriers Pte Ltd and built at Kyokuyo Shipyard in Japan.
Paul Hopkins, Solar Solve's sales and marketing executive, said: "An order for 12 ship sets is great news and reinforces the partnership and good working relationship we have with OSM, one of the world's largest ship management companies.”
Offshore Wind - Speed Picks Up
The last month has seen a number of interesting developments in the UK's growing offshore wind market.
Firstly, Renewable UK confirmed that the landmark first gigawatt (GW) of installed offshore UK wind energy capacity has been reached, as two wind farms off the coast of Britain began generating electricity: Robin Rigg operated by EON and Gunfleet Sands operated by DONG Energy. One GW, now comprising of 11 wind farms, or 336 installed wind turbines, cements the UK’s world-wide lead in the sector. With over 4GW currently in construction or with planning consent, and Round 3 sites currently moving towards planning phases, the UK's development pipeline now exceeds 40GW, contributing substantially to future electricity demand.
This capacity was further increased by extensions to Round 1 & 2 sites announced by the Crown Estate, creating 2 GW additional capacity. Three Round 1 & 2 offshore wind farm operators have been selected to extend five sites, creating an additional 1.7 GW. In addition, a further 340 MW has been offered to increase capacity within the current Round 1 and 2 site areas for two other projects. Construction of the Round 1 and 2 extensions will commence in 2014, subject to consents, with completion of all projects by the end of 2016 in advance of Round 3. For further details of the extensions, click here .
Finally, a report issued by the Offshore Valuation Group revealed the true potential of the UK's offshore renewable resources. The Offshore Valuation Group, an informal collaboration of government and industry organisations, report that using less than a third of the total available offshore resource could:
- generate the electricity equivalent of 1 billion barrels of oil annually, matching North Sea oil and gas production
- create 145,000 new jobs in this country and provide the Treasury with £28 billion in tax receipts
- enable Britain to become a net exporter of electricity by 2050
- reduce carbon emissions relative to 1990 levels by 30%, a reduction of 1.1 billion tonnes by 2050.
To see the report, click here.
Business Opportunities
A sample from the MDC contracts system
UK - MOD: Anchors
4 year enabling contract for the manufacture, supply, repair, refurbishment, certification and provision of technical services in support of anchor assemblies fitted to HM ships, submarines and small craft.
Denmark: Offshore Wind Heavy-Lift Ship Services
Installation of 400MW offshore transformer topside, jacket and 8 foundation piles for Anholt Wind Park.
To find out more about these opportunities or the MDC system please contact Simon Ellis on 0191 255 1710 or simon.ellis@marinedesigncentre.com
PDMS Training Dates
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In conjunction with AVEVA, MDC's next PDMS training courses will be:
PDMS Equipment & Piping Design:
12th - 16th July 2010; 4th - 8th October 2010
PDMS Steelwork Design:
6th - 10th September 2010; 8th - 12th November 2010
For further information please call 0191 255 1710 or email nfo@marinedesigncentre.com