LARZEP GB WINS CONTRACT FOR WORLD’S LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND FARM

Hydraulic specialist Larzep GB has been awarded a contract to supply high-tech lightweight aluminium cylinders to assist in the construction of the world’s largest offshore wind farm at Greater Gabbard, off the Suffolk coast. The order is Larzep GB’s biggest contract since the company was established last year and, with Phase Two of the £3 billion energy project expected to be given the green light before the end of 2009, Larzep GB is optimistic of securing further business. Larzep cylinders are manufactured to the industry’s highest standards using high strength materials to ensure maximum performance and reliability. The specialised cylinders for the Greater Gabbard wind farm each lift up to 150 tonnes and will be used in heavy-duty lifting equipment during the construction of the project. Larzep GB is also supplying a significant number of specially designed power packs and 35 metre long hose assemblies. All Larzep’s cylinders are designed with a safety factor of 1.5 to meet stringent European requirements and products are individually tested to exacting standards. Hard chrome-plated pistons are used in all steel models to give the highest resistance, with hardened saddles to prevent pistons from ‘mushrooming’. A long and effective working life in arduous operating environments is assured due to the incorporation of high performance wear rings and piston wipers that reduce the risk of contamination. omprising 140 mammoth wind turbines, the Greater Gabbard wind farm is the world’s largest offshore wind farm in constructions. The site is located around two sand banks in the North Sea, off the Suffolk Coast. Offshore construction work is under way and installation of the first turbine foundations will soon commence. The erection of the first turbines, along with the installation of cables to export power from the site, is expected to start by the end of this year, with completion scheduled for 2012. Commenting on the Greater Gabbard contract, Oliver Bain, General Manager of Larzep GB, says, “We are delighted to have secured this contract within a year of establishing the company here in Leighton Buzzard. Larzep GB is rapidly earning an excellent reputation for its breadth of knowledge, technical expertise and experience across a wide range of industries. This, in turn, is resulting in high levels of new orders and ongoing repeat business.” Larzep GB was set up in January 2008 as the UK arm of the Spanish hydraulics manufacturer Larzep S.A. The company’s distribution facility is located in Leighton Buzzard, alongside hose and coupling manufacturer Abdex, which also oversees Larzep’s UK operation after many years of supplying the Spanish parent company. Larzep and Abdex share a very similar customer base and their product ranges are complementary.