Heerema opens Polish yard

Heerema Fabrication Group (HFG) has opened a new €6 million fabrication facility in Opole, southern Poland.

Heerema said growing demand for qualified prefabrication of small offshore steel structures and substructures for HFG’s fabrication yards, and the need for better facilities in Poland, contributed to the decision to set up a new facility.

Construction started in March 2013, and took six months to complete. The facility includes a covered fabrication hall, measuring 120m by 32m, and 16m in height.

The HFG Polska business was set up in 2008. It is located in Opole, on the banks of the river Odra adjacent to an inland harbour, enabling transport by inland waterway. It is also accessible by road and rail transport.

It specialises in the fabrication of complex small steel structures, mainly used in offshore production platforms. These structures include: plate girders, conductor guides, nodes, staircases and other more complex structures.

The welders, fitters and general steelworkers working at the site alternate between it and the three larger HFG fabrication yards around the North Sea.

Koos-Jan van Brouwershaven, CEO of Heerema Fabrication Group, says: “This new facility fabricates small steel structures mainly used in our projects at the Heerema Fabrication Group yards. It also allows us to train and develop our Polish workforce in our ongoing commitment to our customers to deliver high-quality standard products at a competitive pricing level and an injury free fabrication environment whether they work at the new facility in Poland or at one of our yards located around the North Sea.”