Tata Steel has invested £2 million in its Hartlepool tube works to increase its product and service offering to the offshore renewable energy sector.

This investment has been sparked by growing activity in the renewables sector, which will require large volumes of jacket fabrications for wind tower structures. The Hartlepool development will establish a central supply base, with work on the site scheduled to be completed by spring next year.

Ramsay Ross, a Director for tubes at Tata Steel, said: "This investment reinforces Tata Steel's commitment to establishing a significant presence as a supplier to the renewables sector as the drive to transform the energy supply scene in the EU gathers pace.

"The wind tower hub in Scunthorpe, which was launched last year to process and distribute steel plate for fabricators, was a key step in this strategy. This separate development, in which we will be modifying buildings and investing in new assets at Hartlepool, is the next stage."

In a separate move that will enhance its presence in the renewables market, Tata Steel has also reached a supply agreement with world-renowned steel pipe producer Eisenbau Krämer (EBK).

Rainer Seelbach, managing director of EBK, said: "Eisenbau Krämer is pleased to be associated with this significant investment opportunity in the European renewable energy sector. The synergies and highly complementary production capabilities of the Tata Steel and Eisenbau Krämer pipe mills will bring to the market a level of technical competence, breadth of product portfolio and production efficiency not previously available from a single supplier in this market sector."