County Durham manufacturer secures over 250 jobs at Hartlepool renewables hub

A manufacturer of subsea cables connecting the global offshore energy industry has reaffirmed its commitment to continued growth in Hartlepool by signing long-term contract extensions with PD Ports.

JDR Cables has been a tenant at Port of Hartlepool since 2008, creating a world-class manufacturing facility that was later extended to comprise approximately 300,000 sq ft.

The company has now signed 15-year contract extensions with PD Ports, securing 280 jobs and continuing its position at the heart of Hartlepool’s growing offshore and renewables cluster. Hartlepool stands as JDR’s flagship facility, a ‘world-class’ quayside manufacturing site strategically located within a North Sea port.

With a highly flexible production setup, the facility excels in manufacturing ultra-long length cables and umbilicals. In a recent development, JDR invested £3m to introduce a vertical lay up machine (VLM), nearly doubling the product weight capacity at the Hartlepool facility.

This upgrade significantly enhances production continuous length capabilities by approximately 25 per cent, positioning the facility to manufacture static array cables for fixed foundation wind and dynamic cables for the rapidly growing floating foundations wind applications.

With these investments and long-term agreements, the company is able to grow beyond its current 66kV product range, with plans to incorporate 132kV and 150kV cabling.

Mark Braybrooke, chief operating officer at JDR Cables, commented: “As a UK based company, we take pride in our pivotal role in enhancing the local economy of the North-East and the broader UK. Our commitment extends to supporting local workforces and fortifying our supply chains.

“Operating from our Hartlepool facility, we are dedicated to contributing to the growth of the renewable energy sector, fortifying the UK’s position in offshore wind manufacturing and leading the export of new subsea power and control connection technologies to the global offshore energy sector.”

Michael McConnell, group property director at PD Ports, added: “The extension of JDR’s leases at the Port of Hartlepool is a real vote of confidence and shows a long-term commitment to the town and the wider region, which we’re delighted to support.

“The infrastructure at the port is ideal for companies within the energy sector, with direct access to operations in the North Sea.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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