Japanese manufacturing giant Sumitomo Electric Industries announces plans for a major Highland factory
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Japanese manufacturing giant Sumitomo Electric Industries has announced plans to create a subsea power cable factory in the Highlands – though for now the exact location is not publicly known.
Citing the increasing demand for such cables, the announcement was made by the president of the company Osamu Inoue during a visit to Japan by Scottish economy secretary Neil Gray.
It is understood that Japanese business regulations call for plants to be made well in advance even before exact details have been established so we may have to wait for a site location to be made.
It is the third major announcement this year following the confirmation of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and the £300 million investment in a decommissioning site at Ardersier Port by Quantum Energy Partners.
The move involved the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Development and discussions have been ongoing for some time.
Highlands recognised as 'a true global player'
Locally HIE chief executive Stuart Black said: “Sumitomo’s announcement confirms that the Highlands and Islands is recognised as a true global player in the renewable energy sector.
“We look forward to continuing positive discussions with the company and our partners in government to secure this potential investment for Scotland.”
The company says there is a growing demand across Europe for interconnected national and regional lines and this is directly linked to offshore power generation in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.
According to a statement: “The company also has a proven track record of delivering power cables for offshore wind power projects around the world including the UK, Germany, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan’s first commercial offshore wind farms at Akita and Noshiro.
“Based on these accomplishments, the company has decided to establish a factory in the Scottish Highlands, UK, in order to capture the increasing demand for high-end cables in the region.
“The new company will supply cables for offshore wind farms and further grid connections, which are indispensable for the introduction of renewable energies to the country’s electricity transmission systems.”
A state-of-the art submarine cable factory
Mr Inoue said: "We are delighted to work with the Cabinet Secretary to build a state-of-the art submarine cable factory in Scotland. Sumitomo Electric is a technology leader in the industry with a 100-year history of submarine cable production, a solid track record, and high quality standards.
“Sumitomo Electric has the technologies necessary for the development of a green society and will work with the Scottish and UK governments and other stakeholders on future offshore wind power and interconnector projects in the region."
While Mr Gray said: "I am absolutely delighted that Sumitomo Electric will be coming to Scotland. This significant announcement demonstrates the strength of confidence investors have in our vision for a net zero economy.
“Sumitomo Electric has a proven track record in renewables technology that will be invaluable to supporting Scotland’s rapidly expanding offshore wind sector, with ambitions for more than 27 GW of generating capacity to be delivered through ScotWind.
“The Scottish Government, Scottish Development International, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to work closely with Sumitomo Electric to foster this important partnership and unlock the opportunities the global renewables revolution presents.”
