Sheffield Forgemasters (www.sheffieldforgemasters.com) has won a US Navy contract worth more than $30 million to build components for the new generation of Columbia-class submarines (due to replace the current Ohio-class submarines).

The components are thought to be for use in the new vessels’ weapons-launch systems. The deal builds on Forgemasters’ decades of supplying components for the Royal Navy, as well as earlier US vessels.

Forgemasters, which was founded in 1805, is expected to play a leading role in the construction of the UK’s own next-generation nuclear submarines. The Successor programme is moving ahead after last month’s Parliamentary vote in favour of replacing the Royal Navy’s Trident submarines in a £31 billion programme — with a £10 billion contingency fund.

CEO Graham Honeyman said: “Work has already started on these orders, and the first parts will be completed in 2016. These are complex components; they require detailed modelling and then manufacturing to highly specific tolerances.

“One of our aims is to broaden our market reach for defence contracts, which we have unparalleled experience in servicing. We hope to build on the success of these orders as our teams search out greater opportunities for product diversification and services in a challenging global market.”

“Our sales teams are currently working with customers on a variety of potential projects, including those within the power generation, defence, civil nuclear, materials-processing, offshore and tidal-power industries. We are hopeful that there will be conversions for a number of these enquiries in the next 12 months.”