With the establishment of a new French business unit and the conclusion of several service contracts for French wind farms, Deutsche Windtechnik has implemented its entry into the French wind market and thereby further extended its European range of services. Long-term full maintenance and basic contracts have been concluded with several operators for a total of 35 Nordex (N90), Senvion (NM92) and Fuhrländer (FL 2500) wind turbines on five wind farms across the whole of France. The company was also able to win a tender for replacing large components.
Deutsche Windtechnik SARL has its headquarters in Reims in northeastern France. While operational management is in the hands of the managing directors of Deutsche Windtechnik X-Service, Holger Hämel and Severin Mielimonka, Mohamed Metahri will be heading business development in France. Born and bred in France, Mohamed Metahri’s years of professional experience have given him an excellent knowledge of the wind market and the French market in particular.
Coherent European service network
“With the establishment of the French company, Deutsche Windtechnik has not only opened up another future-oriented and exciting market for independent service”, says Mohamed Metahri. “Our European service network now has gained additional locations in the heart of Europe. Depending on need and technology, the existing service stations in neighbouring Germany, Spain or the Netherlands can work together interactively with France. This way we have greater flexibility and even more room to manoeuvre in our operational business, onshore and also offshore.” This is underlined by Björn Mummenthey, director of project developer EuroCape New Energy, which has worked successfully in France for over one and half decades: “France is one of the most stable and institutionally developed markets for wind power in Europe, and this is why EuroCape has been investing here very successfully since it was founded in 2003. We very much welcome the fact that with Deutsche Windtechnik there is now a high quality alternative to manufacturer service in France.”
EuroCape has worked as an independent operations management company for several operators for many years.
Different service concepts for five wind farms
The newly concluded service contracts for the Saint Pierre de Maillé I and II wind farms with five FL 2500 (Fuhrländer) each, the Chemin des Haguenets wind farm with 14 MM92 (Senvion) wind turbines and the Renardière wind farm with six MM92 (Senvion) turbines cover the full range of services offered by Deutsche Windtechnik from the basic maintenance contract and service flat rate to all-round service as part of a full-maintenance contract. At the beginning of August the company carried out a contract that had been tendered for the Eparmonts wind farm. A defective main bearing in an MD-Series (Senvion) wind turbine meant that the drive train had to be taken apart, the defective bearing including main shaft replaced, the turbine reassembled and put back into operation – and all within five days. Since March 2015 Deutsche Windtechnik has been maintaining five N90 wind turbines at the Momerstroff wind farm as part of a full-maintenance contract.
Strong growth – with cooperation as the keystone
Deutsche Windtechnik is expecting above average growth of its foreign business in the coming years. Matthias Brandt, chairman of Deutsche Windtechnik, is more specific: “In the next three years we are expecting the foreign share of our business to more than double what it is this year. The share is currently 12 per cent, and we foresee this being 30 per cent in three years. The basis for this positive development is the excellent cooperation between our different business units, something we also practise in France. In principle, everything in Deutsche Windtechnik is going to France – all our expertise, such as remote data monitoring, machine service, QHSE, onshore/offshore and our spare parts management system, is now also available in France.”
Deutsche Windtechnik AG
Deutsche Windtechnik AG is based in Bremen, Germany, and is the leading provider of vendor-independent technical maintenance of wind turbines. The company provides the complete package of technical maintenance of wind turbines all from one source, both onshore and offshore. Deutsche Windtechnik maintains and services over 3,500 wind turbines across Europe, of which 2,700 are maintained on fixed maintenance contracts.
