RECRUITMENT has begun for a wind turbine production factory which will bring 400 jobs to the Tees Valley.

Construction started this month on the £20m TAG Energy Solutions facility at Haverton Hill, in Billingham, near Stockton.

It will manufacture offshore wind turbine foundations.

With the plant expected to be completed in the spring, TAG has appointed six people to key positions.

They are part of the initial 100 jobs the plant will create, with a further 300 likely to follow should orders meet expectations.

Among the appointments is head of engineering Mike McHugh, a former general manager at Cleveland Bridge and engineering director at TAG, who will work alongside production engineer Mark Selby.

Also joining is quality manager Phil Gladwin, who has worked for major companies including Total, BP, Shell and Exxon Mobil on offshore oil and gas projects in Western Europe, Azerbaijan, West Africa and the Middle East.

Rounding off the key appointments are Jamie Wales, CAD draughtsman, Tony Smith, document controller, and Sarah Marshall, procurement officer.

Alex Dawson, chief executive of TAG, said: “There is a wealth of people in the region who have relevant experience and knowledge which can be readily transferred to the renewables sector.

“These six appointments are part of the ongoing recruitment process for the initial 100 jobs which our new facility will create.

“We look forward to welcoming more recruits of this high calibre to the team.”

As well as investing millions of pounds in the facility, TAG has secured finance for the project from investor Platina Partners, which pursues investment opportunities in renewable energy infrastructure, and the Environmental Technologies Fund, a European venture capital fund.

In addition, the company has received £3m in grants from the Department for Energy and Climate Change and regional development agency One North East.

The region is making major strides to become an international centre for renewable energy developments, including wind power and electric vehicles.

Tata Steel, formerly Corus, has announced plans for a £31.5m factory producing offshore wind turbine foundations, near Redcar, east Cleveland, creating 220 jobs.