PRESS RELEASE
The federal government has provided financial and strategic support for the development of a multi-million dollar ‘Windmaster’ wind turbine installation project spearheaded by fast growing lifting and orientation solutions specialist Verton Australia in partnership with one of the world’s largest suppliers of wind turbines.
Brisbane-based Verton has developed a remote-controlled load-management system designed to control and rotate a load to its target destination. Verton’s ‘Everest’ eliminates the need for human held taglines to control suspended loads, thereby improving safety and productivity for crane operations.
Verton has established partnerships with global marine contractor Van Oord, international heavy lifting and transport specialist Mammoet and wind turbine supplier Vestas to further develop a new, safer lifting method for installing wind turbine blades.
The company has won the backing of the Australian Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) to develop the Windmaster project in Australia in conjunction with Vestas, Mammoet and Van Oord.
Verton Managing Director Trevor Bourne said it was rare that an Australian company has the opportunity to collaborate with major original equipment manufacturers such as Vestas and even rarer for major overseas companies such as Mammoet and Van Oord to be prepared to contribute considerable sums of money to defray the costs of developing Australian technology.
“Drawing on the expertise of all parties, we are collaborating on the development of a Verton load orientation solution under the project name Windmaster for the accurate orientation of wind turbine blades in the difficult windy conditions in which wind turbines are naturally located, so that assembly at height is achieved with accurate remote positioning of the root end of blades into the hub in an efficient and controlled movement,” he said.
“The systems envisioned to be developed will be compatible with a range of current Vestas wind turbines and installation methods, with provision for upgrades for larger systems and offshore installations. Provision will also be made for compatibility with a tower climbing crane currently under development by Mammoet to allow control by a single operator.
“This is a unique opportunity for Verton and will accelerate the acceptance of our technology in other applications such as construction and marine by showcasing the capability of the Everest system in the wind turbine environment.
“The Windmaster project will solidify Verton’s position as a global leader in the management of suspended loads and the project opens opportunities to a wide range of markets and applications. The development of this Australian technology will enable further growth for Verton and associated business partners and suppliers.”
Mr Bourne said Verton has developed a unique technology offering that has the potential to make a significant impact across a variety of industries.
“The willingness of major, global companies to invest in our technology is a clear signal that Verton has a ground-breaking offering and a strong value proposition,” he said.
“This project presents an opportunity for Australia to develop a product with very strong export potential, leading to the generation of an industry, and new, skilled jobs in Australia.”
