Lagerwey is to fast-track its next-generation onshore wind turbine platform following the company’s 100% acquisition by German rival Enercon.
The Dutch supplier said an up to 5MW IEC III class LP4 model with 158 or 160-metre rotors could reach the market in the autumn.
The takeover, which was approved by Lagerwey shareholders on 1 January, is also set to put a rocket under efforts to build and market its existing LP4 offering, the IEC II class L136 4.5MW unit.
“Given the current market conditions where turbine prices have dropped 10% to 15% in the past six months it would have been a big challenge for us to launch the LP4 platform successfully,” said sales director Ronald Boerkamp.
Lagerwey installed two commercial L136 prototypes at Eemshaven last year and will now kick-start sales efforts for the LP4.
“We were facing questions from customers regarding financial stability and whether we are big enough to supply a wind project of 10 to 20 new machines with a value of €50m to €100m,” said Boerkamp.
“Those questions can be answered quickly now we have a strong company behind us.”
The suppliers will operate as standalone entities although Lagerwey expects to benefit from closer co-operation in sales and procurement.
“Over the coming month we will think through on an organisational level how it will work but on the sales side there will be very close co-operation in terms of turbine choices for projects,” said Lagerwey chief executive Huib Morelisse.
The company is exploring supplying its modular steel tower concept in conjunction with Enercon turbines, he added.
Morelisse could not rule out an eventual rebranding of Lagerwey, which was founded in 1979 and has an annual turnover of around €50m. “Industry dynamics will determine what makes sense.”
Enercon has kept its options open on Lagerwey’s manufacturing facilities, but the latter’s Barneveld plant will be busy for the “next two years and probably more” building components for 60 L100 2.5MW turbines for the 150MW Adygea 1, 2 and 3 complex in Russia for Rosatom subsidiary NovaWind.
The Dutch outfit is ramping up production to meet the order and is hiring between 20 and 40 new staff mostly in assembly and procurement to bolster its existing 120-strong workforce.
The first shipment of pre-assembled L100 nacelle and hub kits is due to be transported by June to an under-construction assembly plant in the southern Russian city of Volgodonsk. LM Wind Power is supplying blades directly to the plant.
Installation of the hardware is scheduled for December with commissioning of a first phase of around 30MW set to go online early next year.
The turbines are being delivered under the Lagerwey and NovaWind joint venture Red Wind, which plans to supply 388 turbines to Russian wind farms by 2022.
This web exclusive article first appeared in subscriber-only newsletter reNEWS on 11 January.
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Image: Lagerwey
Lagerwey takes turbine fast lane
By EBS