Bardex and Gabriel Engineering map out a UK factory for floating offshore wind mooring connectors

As reported by reNEWS on October 5, 2026, Gloucestershire-based Gabriel Engineering Group has drawn up plans for a new UK plant that would manufacture specialist anchoring and mooring systems for floating offshore wind. One of its partners in the project is Bardex Corporation.

What was studied

The work was carried out with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), operated by the University of Strathclyde and part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. Using digital manufacturing models, production simulation and cost analysis, the team assessed materials, labour, equipment and production requirements to build these systems competitively and at scale.

• The project was supported by The Crown Estate’s £50 million Supply Chain Accelerator programme.
• Ten potential port locations were assessed, including Milford Haven, Port Talbot, Cardiff and Falmouth.
• Criteria included skilled labour, available land and infrastructure able to handle heavy materials and finished products.
• The plant could create up to 40 skilled jobs by 2028.

Bardex’s role

Gabriel Engineering worked with Bardex to explore how its BarLatch® and BarMoor® technologies could be produced through a modular manufacturing approach, with components manufactured and tested before final assembly. According to the article, the findings support both companies’ investment and commercial planning, including talks with The Crown Estate on the next phase.

Ian Finch, Bardex’s director of business development for EMEA, told reNEWS the project produced a blueprint for an advanced manufacturing facility for the company’s mooring connectors, with potential for long-term jobs and a significant export market at the volumes gigawatt-scale floating projects require.

Why it matters

Floating wind needs to connect huge structures to the seabed with reliable equipment, produced in series with repeatable quality. Designing production modularly, with testing before assembly, aims precisely at reducing the risks of large-scale fabrication. It also shows something we see in every project: heavy-load logistics and port infrastructure matter as much as the technology itself.

For Argentina and Chile, where ports, shipyards, mining and energy handle ever larger loads, Bardex brings experience in heavy-load handling and offshore mooring systems.

Let’s talk

If your company is evaluating offshore, port or heavy-load handling projects in the region, write to us at matias@solo-rep.com or learn more about Bardex.