OFFSHORE energy bosses behind the revival of a wind turbine parts base say they will employ North-East workers to spearhead its assault on UK markets.

Danish steel construction firm Bladt Industries and German steel company EEW Special Pipe Constructions last week bought the former Tag Energy Solutions’ site, in Haverton Hill, near Billingham.

Their plans are expected to create an initial 100 jobs, though the figure could rise to 350 posts.

The new joint company will be known as Offshore Structures (Britain) Limited, with up to £30m expected to be spent on upgrading the factory.

Work on projects is expected to start next summer.

Tag’s plant, which delivered foundation poles for the Humber Gateway wind farm, in East Yorkshire, was mothballed earlier this year after the company was put up for sale when its order book thinned.

Speaking to The Northern Echo from Bladt’s offices in Denmark, Jan Kjærsgaard, chief executive, said the move to the Tag site was essential if it wanted to be successful in the UK energy sector.

He said: “We had a lot of options as we looked to get into the UK markets, but we found the North-East and the Tag site to be the best one.

“The factory will mean we can hit the ground running and this is a long-term decision for us.

”Clearly, we will be looking for the best skills to carry out our work and there have been some good skills and workers at Tag, so we hope to be able to re-employ some of those who were there before.

“As a company, we do not engage in something unless we believe in it.”

Bladt makes foundations and substations for offshore projects, as well as topsides and jackets for oil and gas projects, with EEW supplying large pipework.

Mr Kjærsgaard said the two companies had worked together on a number of previous projects, including work to make foundations for the London Array offshore wind farm, which experts say powers about 500,000 homes.

He said its partnership would prove crucial as the new venture moved forward.

He added: “We have worked together with EEW on many programmes, and this will allow us to continue that.

“We see the UK as one of the core markets in the European offshore wind sector going forward, and being based in the country was the right thing for us to do.

”We aim to start building somewhere between summer and the latter part of 2015.

”There is big potential in the industry, we have the experience and want to maintain that in the UK.”

Backed by £3m grants from the Department for Energy and Climate Change and regional development agency One North East, Tag had hoped to employ 400 workers.

It was previously hailed at its 2011 opening as one of the jewels in the region’s renewable energy industry crown.

However, after work fell, creditors called in loans and staff were paid off, the plant was mothballed.