Energy firm Vattenfall has awarded Norfolk-based Gibb Safety & Survival, part of Gibb Group, a contract to provide protective clothing, safety, and survival equipment to keep workers safe across its eleven UK wind farms.
Under the three-year contract, Gibb Safety & Survival will provide service workwear, head-to-toe PPE, specialist clothing to protect workers from arc - electrical explosion - burns, working at height apparatus and rescue, survival, and marine equipment. At least six new jobs will be created as part of Gibb Group's contract with Vattenfall.
Gibb Group, part of Clarkson PLC, plans to open new UK bases and is preparing a recruitment drive in the next 18 months as its wind work grows, including developing its new apprenticeship program.
Gibb Group’s contract follows Great Yarmouth-based Worley and GEV Power, and Lowestoft-based James Fisher Marine Services selection to deliver services ranging from up-tower blade maintenance and repairs to inspections on Vattenfall’s 900 turbines across its 50 wind farms in the UK, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, Vattenfall said.
"These contracts created more than 30 new jobs, with more roles in the pipeline as the work scopes develop," the company said.
Vattenfall also said it had in May awarded contracts to Norfolk-based HexCam, Ordtek and East Point Geo, and Suffolk-based Miles Drainage for early work on its planned 300-turbine Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farms 30 miles off the north Norfolk coast, supporting 13 jobs and creating at least two new roles.
Dr Catrin Ellis Jones, Vattenfall’s Norfolk stakeholder manager, said: "There are some incredible companies here. East Anglia is such an important exporter of skills and expertise across the global wind business and these contracts demonstrate our commitment to enable the untapped potential of UK companies in the renewables sector to be realized, boosting local employment and post-covid economic recovery."