Birkenhead-based shipyard and engineering services company Cammell Laird is to ramp up its operations in the energy sector with the appointment of a new managing director.
Jonathan Brown has joined the energy division of Cammell Laird from Rolls Royce where he led its nuclear new build and projects group. Brown has previously worked for BNFL, Serco and AWE.
Cammell Laird CEO John Syvret CBE said Brown would be charged with expanding the company’s drive to grow across nuclear, renewables and the oil and gas markets.
“Cammell Laird has a long-term plan to diversify into the energy markets and we are pleased that Jonathan has joined us to help spearhead our operations,” Syvret said.
“Our aim is to become one of the prime contractors in Britain serving the energy industry.”
Renewable energy work has accounted for up to 10-15 per cent of Cammell Laird’s total revenues in recent years.
Cammell Laird signed a deal in 2011 to support RWE, the German energy company that is developing the Gwynt y Mor wind farm about 18km off the north Wales coast. The farm is one of the largest in the UK, with 160 turbines and a capacity of 576 megawatts.
Much of the equipment, including the turbines, has to be shipped over from European countries such as Denmark. Cammell Laird, which has the largest docks on the UK mainland’s west coast, has been used as the base port for the operation.