Certex UK is opening a new office and workshop in Hull with a view to expand its renewables and lifting operations in the Humber region.
The company plans for long-term investment in the local community. The new facility is fundamental to the company’s support plans for the burgeoning offshore wind energy market, to which they supply equipment and inspection services. Certex’s specialist inspectors travel across the country and Europe, working offshore and on-shore.
The Hull office and workshop location will co-ordinate work undertaken to ensure all turbine installations and safety precautions adhere to UK legislation.
It will be Certex’s eighth UK location, with other offices based in Aberdeen, Montrose, Harworth (Doncaster), Gloucester, Basingstoke, Huddersfield and Great Yarmouth; whilst sister-company, Peter Harbo, also serves the renewable sector in and around Denmark.
Certex UK business development manager Jim Donelan said: “We are really pleased to be expanding the business into Hull, especially during this significant year for the city.
“Providing jobs and training to the local workforce is important to us as a business, and we are confident the Hull community can support us in our service to the wind industry and other businesses in the area.”
Certex is amongst the first support businesses to commit to new investment since the Humber region saw a significant boost of £310m into the wind turbine industry, creating up to 1,000 jobs directly, with additional jobs during construction and indirectly in the supply chain. The investment will provide a huge boost to the UK’s offshore wind industry as well as the Humber region.
Certex plans to employ and train local labour for the new branch, which will see a recruitment drive for on-shore vacancies as well as off-shore roles. In addition to providing support to Hull’s recently bolstered wind energy market, Certex will also provide same day service on stocked specialist lifting products to its local customers.
Certex UK managing director Kevin Smith said: “Our growth and acquisition program has begun to reap rewards and we are delighted to be able to offer our current and new customers an increasing level of service from the geographic benefits of this new strategic location."
Certex has an extensive presence in Scandinavia, The Netherlands, the Baltics, Russia, Germany, as well as the UK. In addition to specialist lifting products, inspections and maintenance, its team is highly skilled in providing bespoke, high specification lifting services for the processing of steel wire rope assemblies to customers in the manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, offshore, oil, gas and shipping industries.