Offshore suppliers take note as Bridon opens rope making facility

Bridon International has started production at a state-of-the-art factory which will produce the largest and most complex offshore ropes in the world, opened this week by UK Minister for Business and Enterprise Michael Fallon MP.

Industry leaders from companies including Heerema, National Oilwell Varco (NOV), and Certex gathered to mark the commencement of manufacturing at Bridon Neptune Quay, Newcastle, UK where ropes will be engineered in package weights of 650t, boasting enhanced breaking loads, optimised bend fatigue performance, effective lubrication, and minimal rotation under load.

The occasion was marked by switching on the factory’s rope-closing machine, which is believed to be the largest of its kind in existence. The machine, which was constructed to a unique specification by German engineering company SKET, will allow the company to produce far more complex ropes than had ever previously been possible with such weights.

Accompanying Bridon chief executive Jon Templeman (pictured at podium) were a host of senior industry figures including Certex CEO Peter Keith and NOV cranes division head Oddvar Hoydal, who noted how Bridon’s highly engineered ropes could improve their companies’ heavy lifting and deepwater deployment capabilities.

Templeman said: “I’m proud to announce that Bridon Neptune Quay is open for business. We have worked closely with customers to understand the challenges they face in reaching greater depths in some of the toughest conditions on earth. Thanks to this collaborative approach, ropes constructed at Bridon Neptune Quay will not only be the most advanced in the world, but will also be uniquely tailored to tackle 21st century offshore challenges.”

“Companies like Bridon International are a great example of how Britain’s manufacturers are leading the world,” said Fallon. Certex‘s Peter Keith added that these technological advancements will make many new projects possible for its customers.