Beyond borders: services for the wind industry

At that time, the share of wind energy in Russia made up 0.02 % of the overall energy consumption. By 2035, the Russian Ministry of Energy is aiming to further expand wind energy capacity to nine gigawatts - enough to supply around eight million households. In order to build wind turbines in Russia, manufacturers must meet the requirements for local production, which serve to strengthen the local labour market.

In view of this fact, Vestas, one of the leading manufacturers of wind turbines, reached out to Liebherr-Components four years ago to discuss the possibility of a potential support in entering the Russian market. It was no coincidence that Vestas chose Liebherr. Its 120-hectare site in Dzerzhinsk near Nizhny Novgorod was founded in 2006. There, Liebherr has been manufacturing steel assemblies for earthmoving equipment and cranes, as well as key components for the aerospace industry to the highest quality standards and customer-specific requirements for the Russian market for over ten years. Due to the technological expertise, industry knowledge and an ideal infrastructure on site, Liebherr was able to offer the customer a fast and flexible solution. As it was unclear at the time how the Russian market for wind turbines would develop, Liebherr offered the customer a welcome alternative to setting up their own local production.

Vestas promptly trained Liebherr's highly qualified employees in the assembly process. As a result, the assembly of the first nacelles for the wind turbines could start in mid-2018. The favourable location of the Liebherr plant near the Volga River also offers the possibility of transporting the finished nacelles by ship to the south of Russia – which is where many Russian wind farms are being built. In the meantime, nacelles for more than 150 wind turbines have been assembled at the Liebherr plant in Russia.

As wind energy expands, more and more countries are placing demands on local value creation. "Even outside of Russia, we offer flexible solutions for local production at our locations worldwide. The individual requirements of our customers are always in the forefront and are implemented together," explains Stephan Lausmann, Sales Director Wind Energy at Liebherr-Components AG. Liebherr-Components AG's unique serviceportfolio for the wind power industry is proving to be a major advantage in this regard. In addition to an extensive component portfolio ranging from slewing bearings to drives and pitch cylinders, Liebherr also offers various services to support its customers' development.