A new report by Great Britain’s Cast Metals Federation and Offshore Wind Growth Partnership proposes a strategic plan for scaling that nation’s manufacturers’ participation in the supply chain supplying castings and forgings for the offshore wind sector. The UK Castings & Forgings Bill of Works report projects that such an effort might generate 10,800 new jobs in the U.K. and generate as much as £14.6 billion (more than $19 billion) by 2050.
The U.K. offshore wind sector is a major component of the nation’s energy system, with 47 wind farms generating over 16 GW of electricity, or about 17% of the nation’s electricity requirements.
The Cast Metals Federation is a trade association comprised of more than 120 British foundries and foundry suppliers. The OWIC is a non-profit organization that awards grants to help U.K. businesses to develop capabilities to compete in the offshore wind sector.
Their report anticipates U.K. market demand for over two million metric tons of castings and forgings will be required between 2026 and 2050, approximately 8.0% of which could be supplied by the country’s existing casting and forging industries. Those operations might be scaled to supply as much as 14.0%, but with targeted capital investments in advanced tooling and production capacity the domestic industry could supply 41.0% of that market.
Cast Metals Federation CEO Lee Marshall, stated: "This Bill of Works report clearly sets out an unprecedented opportunity for the U.K. foundry and forging industries... However, to do this, we require concerted support and investment from the government to turn the potential into an economic and jobs reality."
The report identifies ways in which U.K. foundries and forging operations currently compete in the offshore-wind supply chain, and where expansion is technically viable. Future capital spending and capabilities expansions should focus on complex, high-integrity products like forge rings and flanges, large-dimension hub castings and drivetrain components, and nacelle spaceframes, connectors, and mooring system infrastructure, it determines.
The plans recommendations would also promote regional economic growth in the U.K. “There has been a lot of talk about devolution and moving power and new opportunities outside of London and around the country,” Marshall continued. “This is a ready-made blueprint for achieving just that, creating thousands of jobs in key areas that have been identified as vital to readdressing the economic balance.
“Importantly, there is also an argument that supporting this move may also boost our sovereign capability to control supply chains that will be essential in meeting many future infrastructure projects.”
