THE transformation of a mothballed North-East wind turbine parts plant is under way, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Offshore Structures (Britain) Limited (OSB) has started revitalising Tag Energy Solutions’ site, in Haverton Hill, near Billingham.

The firm will make pieces for wind turbines, and has plans to create about 300 North-East jobs.

It is now refurbishing the factory’s vast spaces, with high-tech welding equipment and associated machinery due to be installed by the middle of the year.

The company, a partnership between Danish steel contractor Bladt Industries and German steel firm EEW Special Pipe Constructions, has already secured a deal with Dong Energy to make transition pieces for the Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm, in Liverpool Bay, at its Teesside base.

The yellow components include platforms, boat landing areas, and also house cabling.

Full production is expected to start in September, with bosses targeting an initial workforce of about 100, though they say the figure will rise as more contracts roll in.

They added staff will initially be sent to Denmark and Germany for training, before returning to the UK to use their new skills on Teesside projects.

Jan Kjærsgaard, Bladt Industries’ chief executive, said OSB was excited to be starting its North-East venture.

He said: ”The manufacturing site is being prepared for work, and we have to get the right equipment in to allow us to carry out the projects.

”We are also doing a lot of work on our paint facility.

”We will be getting more people in as we go on.”

The Danish company makes foundations and substations for offshore projects, as well as topsides and jackets for oil and gas projects, with EEW supplying large pipework.

Mr Kjærsgaard said the duo had worked together on a number of previous contracts, including work to make foundations and transitions for the London Array offshore wind farm, which experts say powers about 500,000 homes.

He said its prowess in Europe meant England, and the North-East, was always a strong candidate to become its new base.

He added: “We have worked together with EEW on many programmes, and have helped deliver more than half of the farms out on the waters in northern Europe.

“The UK is one of the core markets in the European offshore wind sector going forward, and being based in the country was the right thing for us to do.

“We had a lot of options as we looked to get into the UK markets, but we found the North-East and the Tag site to be the best one.

”There are going to be some big projects here in the coming years.”

Tag delivered foundation poles for the Humber Gateway wind farm, in East Yorkshire, but its base was mothballed when the company was put up for sale after its order book thinned.

It had hoped to employ 400 workers, and was backed by £3m grants from the Department for Energy and Climate Change and regional development agency One North East.

However, after work fell, creditors called in loans and staff were paid off.