Catapult collaboration launches business excellence programme
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult has launched its Fit for Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme, in partnership with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, supporting companies to win new contracts and readying the UK supply chain for the growth of this industry.
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult is playing a leading role across the offshore wind sector in the drive to increase home-grown innovation… and will play a key role in unlocking the growth of the UK supply chain
Scottish firms prepare for steep growth in offshore sector
Inspired by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s successful Fit For Nuclear programme, in 2018 Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, in partnership with High Value Manufacturing Catapult, launched Fit For Offshore Renewables (F4OR), a business improvement journey designed to help the UK supply chain grasp the growing offshore wind opportunity.
With its key focus on business excellence, the programme allows companies to measure their operations against the standards required to supply the industry and take steps to close any gaps.
The pilot programme assessed and visited 30 Scottish firms before creating action plans for improvement. Fourteen are now progressing to the next stage, which will actively work to increase competitiveness and productivity in preparation for the growth catalysed by the Offshore Wind Sector Deal.
In July 2019, Rigmar Group became one of the first companies to benefit from the programme when it won its first major contract in offshore wind. The Aberdeen-based firm was selected by Vattenfall to carry out inspections and repairs at the 93.2MW European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre in Aberdeen Bay. Further F4OR programmes are now being developed in East Anglia and the North-East of England, providing a nationwide economic boost.
The Catapult is also delivering a £100m supply chain growth programme on behalf of the industry, to help UK companies seeking to grow their business in this rapidly-growing global market.