Earlier this year, Japanese headquartered Sumitomo announced the build of the £200 million state-of-the-art power cable factory in the area, which will bring more than 150 jobs to the region.

The equipment will be designed and built at THREE60’s manufacturing facilities in Glasgow and the company will work together with the Scottish supply chain on manufacturing, fabrication and transportation support.

The project is set to take place over the next two-and-a-half years, with delivery of the first carousel components to the Nigg factory planned in mid-2025. The components will then be assembled and tested by THREE60 technicians and engineers on site.

THREE60’s pursuit of the opportunity was supported by economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, as part of its responsibility for delivering on Scottish Government strategies for international trade and inward investment.

Walter Thain, group CEO at THREE60 Energy, said: “We are extremely pleased that THREE60 has been chosen by Sumitomo to manufacture equipment for its landmark investment in Scotland, and are proud that our winning proposal has Scottish engineering and manufacturing at its heart. We are wholly committed to working together with our customers and partners to deliver a just energy transition. This state-of-the-art power cable factory will allow Scottish wind farm developers to reduce their carbon footprint with better availability of core materials in Scotland.”

“As an employer of over 400 staff in Scotland and 1000 staff worldwide, we are delighted to support this project, which will bring a whole host of employment opportunities and economic benefits to our region, and we are excited to get started.”

Tetsuya Kimura, general manager, procurement department, Power Cable Project Division at Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd, said: “Sumitomo’s business interests must always be in harmony with the public interest. This Sumitomo Business Spirit has been our top priority ever since the company was founded in 1911. With the strong support of THREE60, a company with excellent quality and technology and cost and delivery performance, we are proud to be building a local supply chain and contributing to the future of Scotland and the UK.”

Suzanne Sosna, director of energy transition at Scottish Enterprise, said: “The energy transition represents a huge opportunity for Scotland with clear benefits for the whole supply chain – which is why it’s one of three missions driving our new approach to working with businesses. Alongside our partners at Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government, we’re working closely with Sumitomo as it expands its operations in the Highlands. It’s great to see THREE60 already benefitting from that work and the connections we’ve helped them make. The company’s engineering and construction expertise is a strong exemplar of the capabilities within the Scottish supply chain.”

THREE60 will deliver a range of different cable storage carousels to the Nigg facility, ranging from 250T to 400T, with two loading arm options.