All eyes on wind energy: XERVON Wind

Unusual for a company that is still quite young, as the provider for technical wind turbine services has only been around for one year. Nevertheless, it clearly left its "newcomer status behind", as managing director Maik Schlapmann emphasises.

The company can point to two advantages: Firstly, many of the almost 100 employees have been working in the wind industry for several years and contribute their experience. On the other hand, XERVON Wind is part of REMONDIS group and thus able to access specialists from neighbouring trades at any time in addition to its own range of services.

This was, for example, necessary for the last large contract. Together with operator RWE, XERVON carried out the annual maintenance of all wind turbines at the two German offshore wind farms Amrumbank West and Nordsee Ost off the coast of Helgoland. The team was supported by Rhenus Offshore Logistics. The sister company specialises in the transport of components and crews to offshore plants and could contribute its logistics services in an ideal way.

Efficiency is the most important factor offshore, as the turbines have to be shut down during the maintenance period and to be put back into operation as quickly as possible. It has to be calculated precisely when technicians are needed out on sea. "You can't do it without the right framework conditions," explains Schlapmann. "When the weather is right, we have to make full use of the good opportunity, and that doesn't mean working a job that starts at 9 am and ends at 5 pm. In practice, this means combining seamless process flows with maximum safety."

That's where Rhenus Offshore Logistics comes in. "The complementary competencies and service areas offer an overall package that is perfectly geared to the special offshore requirements," says Björn Wittek, Managing Director of Rhenus Offshore Logistics. In addition, it helps that the two companies are also aligned in terms of their corporate values offering customers practice-oriented complete solutions under high safety standards.

All eyes on wind energy: XERVON Wind's diverse service portfolio (Image: XERVON Wind)

A major contract such as the maintenance of offshore wind farms ties up resources: more than 60 employees were involved in the project. For the fast-growing company, therefore, the issue of a shortage of skilled workers is acute, as managing director Tobias Wilming and project manager Dierk Kampschulte explained at WindEnergy. "This will continue to be a problem for the wind industry for a long time to come," they believe.

However, they are also working on solutions to this problem as XERVON Wind wants to retain its employees long-term and offers a comprehensive package of services. Close communication is part of the package. No one knows better than the wind technicians what is required on site so everyone is encouraged to communicate their needs.

The next projects are already in the starting blocks. Onshore maintenance is currently being expanded and XERVON Wind also wants to move into wind farm construction. The company is open to the subject of hydrogen, too: "The combination of wind energy and hydrogen is still relatively new but, from today's point of view, offers promising prospects and is mutually beneficial," says Wilming. Being part of REMONDIS Group is helpful here, too, as first practical experiences are being gathered in parallel. Further growth is thus around the corner.