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Boels Rental partners with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy during construction of 69 offshore wind turbines. In the north-eastern tip of the Dutch mainland, in the Eemshaven, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) will be working hard these next months on pre-assembling 69 wind turbines.
The turbines, 110 metres tall and weighing 1,200 tonnes, will then be placed at sea to supply the Dutch market with up to 759 megawatts of energy. Boels Rental is the preferred rental partner for SGRE. High time to tell you about this exciting project with Stijn Vanooteghem, senior procurement manager for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and Mikey Vousten, project and event manager for Boels Site Accommodation.
Stijn Vanooteghem plays an integral role in this project. His job is to make sure the sites where the offshore turbines will be assembled are ready when the work gets under way. This is by no means an easy operation in an economic climate where raw materials, materials and manpower are scarce. Fortunately, when it comes to hiring units, machinery and small materials, he can rely on the experience and delivery reliability of Boels Rental.
“SGRE was already familiar with the qualities of Boels,” Stijn explains. “We had worked together before. For this job, I approached a total of seven companies and held follow-up talks with three of them. Boels Rental came out on top.”
Single point of contact is the key
For Stijn, the guarantee of equipment availability and having a single point of contact to take care of everything clinched the deal. “There was a better offer on the table, but Boels simply ticked the right boxes overall. Price is a factor, of course, but isn’t the most important thing in the world I work in. The last thing I want is to be called every other week because of an issue with machines on my site. With Boels, I know I get quality in terms of equipment as well as service, and that my operation won’t be delayed as result.”
One-stop Solution
Continuity, flexibility and quality are keywords that are regularly used during the interviews with Stijn and Mikey. Mikey is the go-to person on behalf of the Boels organisation for all questions about the SGRE project. “When I saw Stijn’s tender request, I immediately jumped into gear. Speed and continuity are paramount for clients like SGRE. The first thing I did was liaise with colleagues from General Rental, Site Preparation, Power & HVAC, and others to make sure we could meet all the requirements. What’s more, I like sharing my own ideas with the customer from a Boels perspective, which certainly came in handy with the delivery of the 44 units.”
Tailor-made units
Temporary accommodation has been in high demand for some years now. The people at Boels Site Accommodation can see that too, because they are almost continuously in use. That’s why the order for Eemshaven will be delivered directly from the factory, made specifically to SGRE’s requirements. “This not only saves a lot of time and allows us to supply a truly tailor-made product, it also doesn’t slow down our other processes,” Mikey explains.
“Mikey has always looked further than simply delivering the units. He continuously follows up, gets his teeth into every job and doesn’t let go. A bit like a terrier.”
Bull Terrier mentality
Besides the ability to respond quickly and deliver, trust is the key concept for Stijn. “Absolutely, everything depends on it. We go to our meetings with an open and honest approach. I appreciate that in the people I work with. Mikey has always looked further than simply delivering the units. He continuously follows up, gets his teeth into every job and doesn’t let go. A bit like a terrier. It’s this mentality that gets the work done properly and quickly, and increases the chances of more business.”
Joint success
The success of the project depends on whether the 69 wind turbines are delivered on time. “So, for us, it is absolutely crucial to make sure the SGRE staff stay on schedule with our machinery and service. Together with our man on site, Menne de Vries, we’ll get it done” says Mikey.
“It’s important that we work on the project’s success together. We have the same interest and goal, which is the key to success in all the operation I work around the world. I’m confident that our decision to partner with Boels Rental is the right one and that this cooperative project will be hugely successful,” concludes Stijn while he gets ready to move on to his next job for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy in Florida.
We will be visiting Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy’s project in Eemshaven again in mid-2023, when the first wind turbines are loaded onto the ships. There we’ll speak with Steve Linsley, Senior Site Manager for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Menne de Vries, Boels Area Manager.
