Tata Steel has secured a major contract from Siemens Wind Power to supply 25,000 tonnes of high quality profiled steel plate for wind towers. The order – the largest to date for the steel company’s dedicated wind tower hub in Scunthorpe, England – is worth an eight figure pound sum and establishes Tata Steel as a key supplier to Siemens Wind Power.

Tata Steel will deliver 25,000 tonnes of profiled plate, cut into the desired shape, between April and September this year.

The steel will be used to build about 150 onshore wind turbine towers. Tata Steel has already supplied Siemens Wind Power with 6,000 tonnes of steel plate for similar developments in the UK and Europe.

Phil Knowles, Tata Steel commercial manager for power generation, said: “Demand for steel in the renewable energy sector will continue to grow, and we’re ideally placed to help our customers tap into this important opportunity.

“This major contract, and our position as Siemens Wind Power’s nominated sub contractor, is a direct result of the investment in our Scunthorpe wind tower hub and a great deal of work from the Tata Steel team.

“The agreement we’ve negotiated with Siemens Wind Power is a strategic customer alliance that will help in our objective to be a key supplier in the offshore wind power market.”

Steel plate will be manufactured at Tata Steel’s plate mills in Scunthorpe, and Dalzell, in Motherwell, Scotland, before being cut to size and edge profiled at the company’s dedicated wind tower hub in Scunthorpe.

The steel will be delivered to a fabricator which will form the plate into round sections before they are welded together to form the turbine tower.

Claus Loenvig Menne, global commodity manager tower raw materials, Siemens Wind Power, said: “Wind turbines represent an efficient and reliable option in terms of renewable energy sources. Siemens Wind Power already has an exceptional track record in this area and we are confident this supply agreement with Tata Steel will see us continue to enhance both companies’ reputation for operational excellence.”

Tata Steel’s wind tower hub in Scunthorpe was established in 2010 to process and distribute steel plate to manufacturers of wind turbine towers. It can deliver up to 200,000 tonnes annually, reducing customers’ processing time while ensuring full traceability.

It is anticipated the arrangement with Siemens Wind Power will open up further opportunities for Tata Steel to supply other steel products such as hot rolled coil and hollow sections which are also used in wind turbines.

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