Sponsored by Achieve Professionals
JOB CREATION
OVERALL
FINALIST
GLC Projects – created 16 jobs – increase of 178 %
Double winner – Laura Iveson of category sponsor Achieve Professionals presents the Overall Job Creation trophy to SeAH Wind UK’ s Lewis McDonald.
WINNER
SeAH Wind UK
Created 73 jobs – 304 % growth A firm set up to make windfarm monopiles has wind in its sails after winning TWO VelociTees awards for creating jobs.
SeAH Wind UK – part of Korean giant SeAH Steel Holdings – not only won the Job Creation SME prize for its 304 % growth in jobs, with a financial year rise from 24 to 97, it pipped other fast-growers to take the Job Creation Overall title.
And while the road to production hasn’ t been straightforward, SeAH – which currently employs around 350 – remains committed to bringing up to 750 jobs to its vast Teesside base, with many more in the supply chain.
Speaking after the double award win, SeAH Wind UK’ s marketing and PR executive Lewis McDonald told Tees Business:“ We’ re over the moon to win the overall Job Creation VelociTees.
“ When we set up on Teesside, the aim was to bring well-paid, highly skilled jobs to Teesside – winning this award backs our argument that we’ ve done that.
“ And it’ s not just the jobs we’ ve created – we’ re retraining people through apprenticeships and bespoke employee-led programmes.
“ We have 40 apprentices as we speak, working with Middlesbrough College and Hartlepool College of Further Education, and we’ ve had bespoke employerlinked programmes through TVCA funding to upskill welders and bring them back to welding after they’ ve been away.
“ We’ ve also worked with Middlesbrough College to produce a programme that allowed people to become a welder after work while they were working full-time – they now have full-time contracts at SeAH Wind.”
The recent well-publicised cancellation of a contract between SeAH and offshore developer Ørsted for work on the Hornsea 3 project was a setback.
But a joint statement offered room for optimism that SeAH Wind UK can continue to grow and bring in the hoped-for 750 jobs once production is up and running.
The statement read:“ The agreement allows SeAH Wind to focus on the safe and reliable delivery of its secured order backlog through to 2027, while continuing to progress a strong pipeline of opportunities beyond that period.
“ This underlines confidence in SeAH Wind’ s technical capability, manufacturing scale and long-term role in the UK and European offshore wind supply chain.”
Lewis also pointed out the SeAH development was bringing in a range of roles, including administrators, finance, inspectors, logistics and procurement. He added:“ We’ ve got a growing team that can drive the future for SeAH
Wind and make it a success.”
Outrank – created 27 jobs – increase of 112 %
Cavendish Northern – created 143 jobs – increase of 94 %
Climb & Conquer – created 10 jobs – increase of 91 %
SPONSOR’ S MESSAGE:
Laura Iveson, senior recruitment consultant, Achieve Professionals We chose to sponsor this category because job creation is the real measure of sustainable growth. It’ s not just about revenue or scale, it’ s about the people. It’ s about creating opportunities, developing careers and strengthening our local economy.
SeAH Wind UK is doing exactly that – they are investing in people, backing talent and contributing directly to the future of the Tees Valley. That deserves recognition.
To all the nominees, you should be incredibly proud of what you’ ve achieved – the roles you’ ve created and the careers you’ ve supported are making a real difference and lasting impact.
The voice of business in the Tees region | 131