Sumitomo Electric Establishes Power Cable Factory in Scotland, U.K.

Osamu Inoue, President & COO of Sumitomo Electric (left) and Neil Gray, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy (right)

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. is pleased to announce a plan to establish a power cable factory in Scotland, UK.

The introduction of renewable energy and interconnected national and regional lines are being promoted worldwide to achieve a decarbonized society. In the European market, where such trends are active, demand for power cables is growing. In particular, the UK is expected to be one of the largest markets for power cables, as the country is planning a number of offshore wind power projects to achieve the Scottish government’s Net-zero 2045 and UK’s Net-zero 2050.

In 2019, Sumitomo Electric delivered its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cross-linked polyethylene-insulated (XLPE) submarine cable system for the UK-Belgium interconnector (NEMO Link) and successfully completed the installation. The 400 kV HVDC XLPE cable system is the industry’s highest voltage in commercial operation even today. This technical excellence has led Sumitomo Electric to win multiple contracts in the global market, including a project connecting the UK and Ireland (Greenlink Interconnector) and a project in Germany (Corridor A-Nord).

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.

Through the local production, stable supply, and long-term operation and maintenance services in the UK and other European markets, Sumitomo Electric will be able to meet the needs of customers and enhance its presence in these markets.

“We are delighted to work with 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,” stated Osamu Inoue, President & COO of Sumitomo Electric.

“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,” stated Neil Gray, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy.