GS Entec Completes Dedicated Plant for Large Monopiles Rated Up to 15 MW, "Sets Sights on Global Market"

Asia's Largest Single Plant Dedicated to Monopile Production
Annual Capacity to Expand from 40,000 to 150,000 Metric Tons
Leading the Way in Expanding into Overseas Markets, Including Japan and Australia
"Dedicated Port Facilities for Offshore Wi

GS Entec’s Yongjam Plant, located on Yongjam-ro in Nam-gu, Ulsan, on October 26. Work was underway to produce prototype monopiles, the substructures that anchor offshore wind towers and turbines. Steel plates that had undergone preliminary processing were first cut to match the design drawings. The precisely sized plates passed through roller equipment and were bent into cylindrical shapes. Once the cylinders’ longitudinal seams were welded, each formed a can measuring 9.6 meters in diameter. Dozens of cans and cones (cylindrical sections that narrow toward one end) are joined together to complete a monopile measuring 60 to 120 meters in length.

Monopiles manufactured by GS Entec for the Yeonggwang Nakwon offshore wind project being shipped. GS

GS Entec held a completion ceremony for its dedicated monopile production facilities, showcasing its automated production equipment and capacity to manufacture large monopiles. GS Entec signed a strategic partnership with the Netherlands-based Sif, the world’s No. 1 monopile specialist, and spent more than two years rebuilding its plant facilities. GS Entec’s Yongjam Plant is Asia’s first and largest single production facility dedicated to monopiles. With the completion of the facility, annual monopile production capacity will rise from 40,000 tons to 150,000 tons. The plant can also produce ultra-large monopiles for wind turbines with a capacity of up to 15 MW.

The Yongjam Plant is significant because it converted an existing chemical equipment production line into facilities dedicated to monopiles. The company has made a bold business shift, viewing infrastructure for renewable energy as a future growth area. GS Entec, a subsidiary of GS Global that has manufactured large chemical equipment for oil refining and petrochemical plants, has more than 30 years of expertise in processing large steel plates and precision welding.

GS Group Chairman Heo Taesoo, who attended the completion ceremony that day, said, "The completion of GS Entec’s Yongjam Plant is symbolic because we transformed an existing chemical equipment manufacturing facility into a production facility for renewable energy infrastructure, turning the era-defining shift toward energy transition into a new business opportunity and achieving an active business transformation."

GS Entec is building a track record in the domestic market. In 2023, it supplied 64 monopiles for the Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind project. All of them were installed in June this year, and commercial operations are scheduled to begin before the end of the year. Then, in September, the company signed a contract to supply 37 monopiles for the Taean offshore wind power project. Production for the order will begin in July next year, with deliveries to be made in stages starting in August 2028.

GS Group Chairman Heo Taesoo (center) tours the production facilities after attending the completion ceremony for the dedicated automated monopile production line at GS Entec's Yongjam Plant on the 26th. GS

Building on its domestic order record, GS Entec plans to expand its business into Asian markets, including Japan and Australia. The Ulsan Yongjam Plant is also geographically close to major offshore wind project sites in Japan, giving it an advantage in reducing transportation costs and meeting delivery deadlines.

GS Entec CEO Heo Cheol-hong said, "By combining Sif’s technological expertise with GS Entec’s manufacturing capabilities, we will enhance our competitiveness in quality and delivery schedules. Building on our domestic track record, we will also expand our position in the global offshore wind market."

◆Building dedicated offshore wind ports is a key challenge= Dedicated support ports for offshore wind equipment are essential for storing monopiles before delivering them to domestic facilities on schedule or exporting them. The ultra-large monopiles that can be produced at the Ulsan Yongjam Plant can measure up to 120 meters and weigh approximately 1,650 tons. Existing ports lack sufficient bearing capacity—the ground’s ability to withstand a load—to handle offshore wind equipment, making it difficult to store the equipment there.

Song Wongil, GS Entec’s Chief Safety Executive Officer (CSEO), said, "Support ports are essential to store offshore wind equipment and ensure it can be supplied quickly. Port infrastructure is also necessary to meet delivery deadlines precisely."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.