Ocean Fabrication Archive News

18.05.2009
David Cameron MP opens New Wave Power Jobs At Old Cornish Mining Site

During his visit to Kensa to announce support for Cornish geothermal energy, David Cameron MP also launched a new initiative by Ocean Fabrication Ltd, who have today started renovating a series of large buildings on the Mount Wellington Mine site at the Bissoe Valley, near Chacewater. When completed later this year, the state-of-the-art facility will provide Ocean with a world-class facility for the design, manufacture, service and testing of components used in Wave Buoy and other offshore technologies. The buildings were previously used to house tin processing machinery at one of Cornwall's four large modern Tin Mines.

Exciting times

Ocean's dynamic Managing Director John Henderson is ecstatic at acquiring the lease on their new site. "This really puts us on the world map - we now have one of the tallest buildings in the South West dedicated to this type of assembly work, and our new equipment will allow our extensive expertise in the offshore industry to be applied to the new and upcoming Wave industry. Although we are starting out with less than 10 employees, in a new market that as yet hardly exists, we expect to grow to match the anticipated growth in the Wave and Offshore industries, as lower carbon electricity is gradually brought on line. Although Cornwall has excellent port facilities, they are often too crowded, remote and expensive to be viable for a lot of fabrication, assembly and testing work. Wellington is less than 3 miles from the A30 and more or less in the centre of Cornwall."

Low Carbon Green Collar Manufacturing Jobs

Another part of the Mount Wellington site is already occupied by established world-leader in ground source heat pump technology, Kensa Engineering Ltd. Kensa's Chairman, Richard Freeborn is also a non-executive Director of Ocean. "Ocean is joining Kensa in developing the new type of low-carbon manufacturing industry that Cornwall needs to ensure our future prosperity. Our focus is not just on today, but on the massive potential market for offshore renewable energy devices that will help to revitalise the Cornish economy in the next five to ten years. The team at Ocean share a wealth of experience and expertise in the offshore industry and are set to become clear market leaders in this sector."

No public grant funding

"This is a bold move for Ocean to make in such a severe recession," continued Mr.Freeborn "but it is a risk that I believe will be repaid with jobs and prosperity. It is a pity that such a critically important sector, comprised mainly of small and delicate companies, still has no significant direct public sector support - although such support is available elsewhere. Many people would have expected that very generous Convergence Funding or Government grants would be available to help small private firms such as Ocean and Kensa to generate sustainable green collar jobs with capital projects like this; instead, we still continue to be let down. What is worse, borrowing from banks is simply not possible at the moment so we have to rely entirely on an increasing rarity - generous and forward-thinking private sector investors."

07.10.2009
"Firm capitalises on renewable energy" from Western Morning News

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