Value Added made in Europe: How a factory became an industrial policy factor
With the opening of the factory In 2014, Steelwind entered the offshore wind industry in Nordenham – as a new manufacturer of monopile foundations. Sales Manager Dirk Halfpap has been involved in the development from the very beginning. Around 10 years later, he looks back on technological leaps and difficult market phases.
Dirk Halfpap
Mr HalfpapIn 2014, the Steelwind plant in Nordenham opened as a new flagship project for the offshore wind industry. What was that moment for you personally and for the region?
“For Steelwind and for me personally, the opening of the plant in 2014 was a extremely important And an exciting moment: as a new manufacturer of large monopile foundations, Steelwind was entering completely new territory after several years of intensive planning and preparation, and I myself had only switched professionally to offshore wind energy at the beginning of 2013. With a highly motivated team and many experienced individuals who had previously worked for other companies in the industry, there was a sense of optimism. With the 91 monopile foundations for the English project, Race Bank, Steelwind was then able to book the first major order for the plant shortly thereafter."
Since then, the company has experienced a lot: growth, uncertainty, and international competition. How would you describe its development over the past ten years—and what were the most difficult phases?
"Overall, Steelwind's development has been very positive and successful, even if the path hasn't always been easy and at times rocky: On the one hand, Steelwind has managed to continually expand its own experience with increasingly larger and more complex foundation structures, increase its performance and technical capabilities, and develop into one of the most reliable and highest-quality manufacturers on the market. However, there have also been repeated difficult phases with market turbulence and low demand, which even had to be bridged with short-time work for several months. Today, Steelwind can produce efficiently at a high technical level and has already secured continuous capacity utilization for the next year and a half."
Today, European industry is expected to receive greater political support again, for example, through the EU's Net-Zero Industry Act. However, international competition is fiercer than ever – with allegedly subsidized suppliers from Asia and growing manufacturing capacity in Europe. In your opinion, what is needed for locations like Nordenham to survive in global competition and contribute to the further expansion of offshore wind energy?
"Not only Steelwind, but the entire European industry needs a clear political commitment to offshore wind. The industry needs planning security with appropriate expansion targets that allow for continuous and competitive production in Europe. Only then can it face growing competition from Asia."
What was particularly important in 2014:
- In Germany, two new offshore wind farms with a capacity of 401 MW are being connected to the grid: 288 MW Meerwind Süd/Ost and 113 MW Riffgat.
- Across Europe, 1483,3 MW will be connected to the grid: 408 offshore wind turbines in nine wind farms and one demonstration project.
- Reform of the EEG comes into force: introduction of the “offshore expansion corridor”.
