JDR hangs out its shingle in Brazil as plans for tripling clean power drive subsea work upsurge

The UK-based subsea and power cables manufacturer JDR Cable Systems, part of TFK Group, has set up its new shop in Brazil as part of its strategic expansion in pursuit of further growth opportunities in light of the South American country’s ambition to triple clean energy capacity by 2030, which puts the rise in offshore wind projects in the spotlight. These energy transition plans are expected to spur a further demand spike for subsea cables and services.

While confirming the opening of its new service center in Macaé, JDR explained that the move was made in response to the growing demand for cables and services, after it identified Brazil as a key market where many projects are already underway. As a result, this facility is set to provide local technical and service support for umbilicals and subsea cables.

The Macaé service center, which employs a local team backed by the firm’s Houston facility, started operations in Q3 2024 to provide clients with in-country technical and service support for umbilicals and related equipment, including asset management, repairs and maintenance, and supply of products such as hydraulic jumpers.

Moreover, JDR highlights its continued global growth and in-country demand for local support and servicing from customers working across oil, gas, and renewable energy projects as the driving force behind the opening of the Brazilian center.

Covering 11,265 m2, the company’s new service center will begin operations with a local team of experienced oil and gas professionals but the business is expected to provide a range of services, including the management, repair, and maintenance of equipment, as well as offshore services, and the assembly and testing of hose jumpers. 

JDR is convinced that the demand and opportunities for high-quality cables and local servicing will remain at a high level, thus, Brian Davis, General Manager at JDR, commented: “The launch of our new service centre in Macaé reflects JDR’s dedication to addressing the increasing demand for high-quality umbilicals and services in Brazil.

“It provides us with a first-class facility to support Brazil’s offshore oil and gas as well as wind and broader energy objectives with a sizeable team and room for growth. This allows us to expand upon our strong market share in the region by providing essential technical and service support to our partners in Brazil.”

The offshore wind market is among the areas James Young, JDR’s Chief Strategy and Compliance Officer, emphasized in an interview with our sibling news site, offshoreWIND.biz, when he talked about the firm’s plans to become a leader in the production and supply of dynamic subsea cables to the floating wind market, which in his view needs backing in innovation and offshore wind technologies, including cable systems, more than any other energy field.

Aside from its oil and gas market, Brazil is also pursuing a transformation of its energy mix to come to grips with energy security and sustainability dilemmas by tripling clean energy capacity by 2030. This has already led to a surge in environmental license requests for offshore wind projects in the country, totaling over 176 GW of potential production.

Alex Grosso, who will spearhead the center as Operational Manager, underlined: “Through our new service facility in Macaé, JDR is investing in local talent and expertise. The centre is staffed by local professionals who have a strong understanding of the Brazilian market, ensuring the delivery of reliable, high-quality services and equipment tailored to meet the needs of our clients.”

During a recent interview with Offshore Energy, Rory Graham, JDR Cable Systems’ Senior Sales Manager of Energy, highlighted the role subsea cables have in the electrification, decarbonization, and even carbon capture and storage (CCS) arenas.