Energy minister praises Rotherham's MTL Group

Mr Huhne toured the MTL Group’s new 300,000 sq ft plant in Brinsworth.

MTL is a market leader in supplying secondary steelwork and boat landing systems for the off-shore wind industry and last year was awarded a £250,000 grant to help develop the sector.

The group has just been awarded another substantial export contract with German firm WeserWind to supply boat landing systems for the North Sea and has worked closely with Department of Energy and Climate Change to strengthen the UK’s supply chain for secondary steelwork for the offshore wind sector.

Mr Huhne met the 16 new apprentices that MTL Group has recruited this year and heard how the group is developing young talent to help underpin its growth plans.

He also saw the group’s new welder training school, which welcomed its first trainee on 12 September.

Chris Huhne told MTL executives: “I am determined that the UK obtains the maximum benefits from the green economy. So I was

very pleased to hear of your recent export contract success, which follows your other success earlier this year.

“I am particularly impressed with the steps you have taken to bring forward the skilled staff that will be so important to us in the future.”

MTL has been investing heavily in state-of-the-art machinery thasuch as a new twin head high definition plasma cutter, a robotic

plasma pipe cutter and additional handling equipment

In April, MTL Group opened its second site, a quayside fabrication facility in Blyth, Northumberland that will focus on supporting foundation manufacturers for the renewables sector.