The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP’s) Wind Expert Support Toolkit (WEST) programme has been shortlisted as a nominee for the Supply Chain Impact Award at the 2024 Global Offshore Wind Awards. This award celebrates initiatives that have made significant strides in advancing and developing the offshore wind supply chain.
The WEST programme offers tailored, short-term support to UK-based companies of all sizes and levels of offshore wind expertise helping them to unlock insights, improve competitiveness and accelerate growth.
To date, the WEST programme has supported 177 companies, from micro-SME’s to large organisations, and everything in-between to transition into, or grow their existing presence in the Offshore Wind Industry.
Based on actual business data from the first 104 companies who have been supported through the WEST Programme, OWGP have recorded the development of more than 122 new products and services, a £95.5 million increase in turnover, £81.2 million growth in in-year exports, and the creation of over 360 new jobs within the sector.
The programme consistently receives outstanding feedback, with an average satisfaction rating of 4.57 out of 5, and 100% of participants indicating they would consider applying to future OWGP programmes.
Wayne Henderson, Managing Director at Marex Marine and Risk Consultancy and WEST beneficiary remarked on its transformative impact:
“It was always our intention to transition into offshore wind – we had already gathered intelligence and insight. However, what the programme provided was the ability for us to move beyond the tipping point and start to engage more effectively with offshore wind clients. We are now providing proposals to clients in the sector.”
Anil Sayhan, OWGP Programme Director, said:
“We are thrilled that our Wind Expert Support Toolkit (WEST) programme has been shortlisted for this esteemed award. The recognition reflects the tangible impact WEST has had on the UK offshore wind supply chain. Over the past four years, we’ve provided support to over 170 UK businesses. These companies went on to increase their annual sales by over £95 million per year in the aggregate.
All WEST companies receive one-to-one, bespoke support from one of our handpicked delivery partners. From Cornwall to Orkney, WEST has enabled companies to enter the sector with a clear growth plan, scale rapidly, diversify their offerings, and enhance their competitiveness in the global offshore wind market.
“This programme isn’t just about short-term wins—it’s about fostering long-term resilience through robust business positioning and competitiveness improvement within the supply chain, driving forward the UK’s transition to a greener energy future.
“We are incredibly proud of the impact our programmes have had on the UK supply chain and remain dedicated to supporting businesses as they navigate and capitalize on opportunities within the offshore wind sector.”
The 2024 Global Offshore Wind Awards ceremony will take place on 15th October, where the winners will be announced.
Applications are currently open for the 12th wave of the WEST programme.
To learn more about eligibility and how to apply, please visit: https://owgp.org.uk/programme/wind-expert-support-toolkit-west/
Contact Information
| Media Team |
| media@ore.catapult.org.uk |
Notes to editors
For more information contact:
Rhianna Knight-McGrath, Communications Manager at OWGP, rhianna.knight-mcgrath@ore.catapult.org.uk
About the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership
The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) is a long-term business transformation programme that has been established as part of the UK Offshore Wind Sector Deal. It promotes closer collaboration across the supply chain, implements structured productivity improvement programmes and facilitates shared growth opportunities between developers and the supply chain.
OWGP has supported 225 UK companies since the organisation’s inception in 2019. Over 1400 companies have now registered an interest on the OWGP website, where further information on the Innovation Grants can be found. For more information and to apply for funding or business transformation support, go to https://owgp.org.uk/funding-and-support-opportunities/
With funding from the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC), delivery is focused on direct support to supply chain companies through a combination of business transformation and grant funding. The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult is managing the delivery of OWGP with support from specialist delivery partners.