Fife manufacturer to create jobs and supply global energy market after grant funding

A Fife manufacturer will turbocharge production of its wind turbine support system and create a dozen jobs after a funding boost from Scottish Enterprise.
Pict Offshore is a joint venture between Orsted, the worlds largest developer of offshore wind farms, and safety systems group Limpet Technology. Picture: ContributedPict Offshore is a joint venture between Orsted, the worlds largest developer of offshore wind farms, and safety systems group Limpet Technology. Picture: Contributed
Pict Offshore is a joint venture between Orsted, the worlds largest developer of offshore wind farms, and safety systems group Limpet Technology. Picture: Contributed

Pict Offshore – which is partially owned by energy heavyweight Orsted – has scooped a £250,000 regional selective assistance grant to scale up capabilities at its site in Inverkeithing.

The business, which produces hoists to allow technicians to safely work on wind turbines without the need for ladders, is creating up to 13 jobs on the back of the deal.

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The funding is part of a wider multi-million-pound investment by Pict Offshore to expand and accelerate research and development plans as it ramps up production for the global offshore wind market.

Pict Offshore was formed in May as a joint venture (JV) between Orsted, the world’s largest developer of offshore wind farms, and safety systems group Limpet Technology, which had previously been supported by Scottish Enterprise and Strathclyde University to develop the new hoist technology.

The JV has led to the commercialisation of the Get Up Safe (GUS) system, a motion-compensated personnel hoist.

'A transformative product'

This allows technicians to transfer on and off turbines more safely and, the business claims, increases the competitiveness of offshore wind energy as it means there is no longer a need for access ladders and boat landing metalwork on turbines.

Pict Offshore managing director Philip Taylor said: “The local expertise in offshore wind that exists in Scotland continues to play a key part of our growth.

“The support we have received from Scottish Enterprise and the ORE [Offshore Renewable Energy] Catapult as well as Orsted has also been instrumental in bringing this new technology to market and to bringing down the time to market for the GUS system.

“We have ambitious plans for the future and the expansion of our capabilities will allow us to continue our growth as we lead the way in ensuring the safety of offshore wind personnel.”

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Andy McDonald head of low carbon transition at Scottish Enterprise, hailed the hoist as a “transformative product for offshore wind”.

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He added: “The network of support around Fife Energy Park is also at the heart of this project as it is host to ORE Catapult’s Levenmouth Demonstrator Turbine and allowed the company to test its products on the world’s most advanced open access offshore wind turbines.”

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