A major new report has set out a clear route for increasing UK participation in offshore wind castings and forgings supply chains, with the potential to create over 10,800 new jobs and generate up to £14.6billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2050.
Published by the Cast Metals Federation (CMF) and the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP), the ‘UK Castings & Forgings Bill of Works’ is the first comprehensive assessment of offshore wind demand for cast and forged components and domestic capability to supply them.
It is expected that more than two million tonnes of castings and forgings will be required across the UK offshore wind pipeline between 2026 and 2050.
Using the Industrial Growth Plan’s Make or Buy framework, the report estimates that manufacturers have, or could develop, the technical capability to supply components accounting for 37% of this demand by weight, generating £14.6 billion GVA by 2050, equivalent to 41% of the market by value.
Lee Marshall, Chief Executive of the Cast Metals Federation, said: “This Bill of Works report clearly sets out an unprecedented opportunity for the UK foundry and forging industries to contribute significantly more to the offshore wind sector.
“It features a clear achievable path to grow from the current 8% of market share supplied by the UK, to a possible 14%, and potentially to a staggering 37%, which would be worth over £14.6bn to the UK economy. This is a huge opportunity, and our foundries are ready to respond.”
He continued: “Our industry has known for a while that there is a lot more we can do to support the move to cleaner energy by building complex and larger components, including the turbines themselves. However, to do this, we require concerted support and investment from the government to turn the potential into an economic and jobs reality.
“Increased UK energy supply from wind could also reduce the cost of energy for foundries, boosting their global competitiveness in the process – a full circularity of wins you could argue.”
The analysis demonstrates that UK manufacturers are already supplying products including offshore wind fasteners, sacrificial anodes and cable protection systems, but identifies significant opportunities to expand into additional component categories aligned with the sector’s Industrial Growth Plan priorities.
Today, domestic suppliers operate in markets representing approximately 8% of total castings and forgings demand. The report concludes that existing capability could increase participation to 14%, while future investment in areas such as forged rings, hub castings and drivetrain components, could increase capability to as much as 37% of total demand.
There is also a strong environmental message in the findings. UK foundries, especially ferrous ones, mainly use electric melting, which is a cleaner production method when compared to the cupolas that are predominantly deployed in Germany.
Switching to more homegrown content will reduce the need to bring parts in from overseas, as well as reusing valuable metal resources, including steel, copper and aluminium.
Anil Sayhan, Managing Director at the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, added: “Unlocking opportunity in the offshore wind sector starts with understanding the market. Castings and forgings are essential components used in turbines, foundation substations and balance of plant, yet until now there has been no detailed assessment of future demand alongside the UK’s capability to supply it.
“This Bill of Works provides that evidence. It offers government, developers, OEMs and suppliers a clear, component-level picture of where UK foundries and forges have the capability to supply today, and where targeted investment could unlock even greater value.
“The findings speak for themselves. With the right support the sector can capture significantly more of the market. This evidence will help shape future programmes, investment priorities and industry engagement.”
Increased capacity in the domestic market could deliver major export gains according to the report.
It highlights companies like Cooper Turner Beck, a fastener manufacturer that is already supplying into the global customers from their facilities in the UK. Experts believe similar opportunities could be linked to a range of additional components for offshore wind generation, including nacelle spaceframes, connectors, flanges and mooring systems.
Brian Quinn is Sales Director of Goodwin Steel Castings, a manufacturer of large, machined castings for the defence, nuclear and energy sectors.
His company employs nearly 296 people in Stoke-on-Trent and has sales in excess of £48m.
He added his support: “We fully support the findings of this report and welcome the opportunity to strengthen the UK’s position in the offshore wind supply chain.
“With our established expertise in high-integrity steel castings and continued investment in advanced manufacturing, we believe that we are well positioned to deliver. The ‘UK Castings & Forgings Bill of Works’ provides a positive platform for collaboration, investment and growth, creating skilled jobs and reinforcing our sovereign manufacturing capability.”
Devolution Push
The Cast Metals Federation believes the report reinforces the role the sector could play in supporting regional growth, with many UK foundries based in Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands, the North East, Scotland and Wales.
CMF’s Lee Marshall concluded: “There has been a lot of talk about devolution and moving power and new opportunities outside of London and around the country.
“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.”
The full UK Castings & Forgings Bill of Works report is available to download by visiting https://owgp.org.uk/insights/resources/uk-castings-forgings-bill-of-works
Company Viewpoint
Wall Colmonoy is an advanced materials and precision manufacturing business based in Swansea.
Employing 193 people, the company specialises in high-performance metal alloys, precision castings, specialist coatings and precision machining for customers involved in aerospace, defence and energy.
Michael Shreeve, Development Director, said: “Offshore wind represents a significant opportunity for UK advanced manufacturing, but unlocking that potential requires closer collaboration between developers, equipment manufacturers and the domestic supply chain.
“At Wall Colmonoy, we are investing in advanced casting, specialist alloys and manufacturing technologies to support the next generation of high-performance components.
“We believe the UK has the technical expertise and industrial capability to deliver greater value into offshore wind, particularly where material performance, component reliability and manufacturing complexity are critical.
“What makes our proposition particularly exciting is the combination of our advanced engineering capabilities with our expertise in casting, metallurgy, precision machining and surface engineering. This allows us to look beyond conventional manufacturing methods and work with customers to develop integrated solutions that they may not previously have considered technically or commercially possible.
He went on to add: “Two current examples of this innovation are groundbreaking pins used in floating offshore and potential lifetime bearings for mooring jewellery.
“By engaging earlier in the design and development process, we can challenge traditional approaches to component manufacture, improve performance, reduce manufacturing complexity and potentially unlock opportunities that would otherwise be overlooked.
The opportunity is not simply about increasing UK content, but developing a competitive, resilient and innovative supply chain capable of supporting the industry’s long-term growth.”
Ductile Castings
“As a major player in the UK heavy castings market, Ductile Castings welcome the investment in the UK Offshore Wind sector supply chain,” pointed out Steve Wadsworth, Joint Managing Director.
“The opportunity for UK supply, particularly castings and forged product made on our shores is huge, but to make this happen we need the right economic conditions and government support in place to make further investments in capability possible, ensuring critical supply is maintained.
“The report identifies the scale of product, the potential it brings to the local economy and the longevity of the market, all of which secures jobs, investment in training, apprenticeships and investment.”