Windfair Interview with Søren Bunch, ITW Polymers Europe

ITW Polymers Europe has just finished grouting operations at the German OWF Butendiek...

Contributing to some of the very first offshore grouting installations like Ytre Stengrunden in Sweden it became evident that the market required a turnkey supplier including product, equipment, supervision, project management and quality control. This resulted in the construction of the first sets of equipment delivered for Horns Rev 1 in Denmark undertaking the first project supplying both Ducorit grout as well as installation capacity. Now having supplied more than 2.000 grouted connections covering some 90% of the projects performed ITW has earned its reputation as the only turnkey supplier in the offshore renewable market.

However, despite the comprehensive pedigree ITW is stretching to perform its very best in any project and in close corporation with the client. Receiving a client’s satisfaction on “a job well done” is therefore equally important to ITW on every project.

ITW developed a new method making the grouting process easier and faster. Please tell us something about how that works.

Historically development in both equipment, as well as installation process has been performed on ad hoc basis and directly in relation to specific projects addressing only limited improvements. Targeting significant improvements required that preparations for the grouting operation to be considered and embedded in the design of the foundation structure in the early stage. A successful and rapid grouting procedure requires both an easy accessible inlet and a well thought through inlet arrangement.

Picture 1: Improved equipment: Closed structure, scalable, compact deck space and improvement of HSE

ITW therefore has developed a “Partnership Approach” together with partners and clients in the business securing an optimum design for fast and simple operation offshore resulting in significant reduction in grouting time which in turn reduces costly vessel time. Further the partnership approach model has resulted improved deck layouts minimizing surplus material and waste water from the operation. Being in close contact with all involved parties in the early stages of a project reduces the learning curve for the project management team going from planning to operation.

Specifically focus on usage of onshore connected “jumper hoses” combined with an easy accessible straight simple inlet arrangement has led to maximized grout flow, reduced pressure build up and reduced risk of time-consuming plugs during the offshore operation. Further a widening of the inlet system combined with multiple grout lines has allowed for grouting performance of more than 40 metric tons per hour.

Picture 2: Jumper hoses

Focus on a simple, fully containerized, equipment build up has resulted in a flexible and scalable grouting equipment system that has minimized the requirement for expensive deck space on the installation vessel either being a Jack-up or free floating type vessel. The simple container block system with well-defined dimensions and easy use of “twist locks” has eliminated of the need for expensive specialized engineered sea fastening. Containerized splash walls and spill trays eliminates spills and splashes from the grouting operation allowing for other equipment to be placed alongside the grouting equipment without the risk of grout. Further the splash walls and spill trays solution in combination with ITW’s unique “Dust Free System” has resulted in great improvements in the ever important Health and Safety area and to the benefit of both ITW grouting crews as well as other personnel working the vessel deck.

Last but not least significant time and cost is saved during demobilization since very little cleaning is required after removal of the grouting equipment.

Picture 3: Deck, after removal of grouting equipment on project Westermost Rough.

You worked together with two other companies during the installation work. How did the process go? Were they involved in the actual development of the new working method or how did they adjust?

During the project Butendiek ITW served contractually as subcontractor to Ballast Nedam. The vessel Javelin was supplied by company Jumbo. ITW has had the privilege to work with both companies several times in recent years; as respective examples to mention: Baltic 1, Greater Gabbard or Anholt, why both preparation and operation went smoothly benefitting from mutual experiences and high respect of each other’s competences and achievements.

During the first project meeting the mentioned developments on equipment was presented to Ballast Nedam who quickly accepted the operational benefits of the improvements. Further adaptation therefore was avoided allowing for a quick implementation in both the project as well as during the mobilization of the vessel.

Cost reduction is always an issue, especially concerning offshore wind energy. Fastening the grouting process and reducing the cleaning afterwards will help reduce costs?

ITW is constantly striving to reduce cost as we fully respect and recognize the ongoing commercialization of the business resulting in a call for an overall cost reduction target of 40%. Now related to grouting it is the opinion of ITW that the most effective way to reduce cost is to reduce grouting time since this can be related directly to vessels time. Vessels represent the most valuable asset in relation to offshore operations why substantial development has targeted both minimizing the required deck space, optimizing and simplifying mixing procedures as well as maximizing the output capacity of the equipment. These efforts have resulted in 60 to 70% saving in grouting time over the last 3 to 4 years. Furthermore, significant time has been saved since spillages and splashes from the unavoidable cleaning work in-between the grouting operations now can be performed within the confinement of the splash walls.

Last but not least significant time and cost is saved during demobilization since very little cleaning is required after removal of the grouting equipment.

Picture 4: Westermost Rough – New Equipment on Innovatio

Can you tell us something about the upcoming projects of ITW Polymers Europe? Are new products or work methods already in the making?

In order to continuously deliver optimized services ITW base its development on “outside in” information. Clients feedback during projects as well as ongoing Client surveys performed with ITW Wind Group is in fact materialized in the developments presented both offshore and attempted described above in this interview. In fact the documented development work here presented have resulted in time savings to such an extent that the grouting operation vastly has been eliminated on the critical path through the full installation sequence of a foundation.

However based on a recent client survey a number of target areas have been identified for further development work within ITW both in products as well as in equipment and services. Specifically development areas like feeding systems, further automated operations is currently ongoing just like improvements on minimizing surplus materials and reducing cleaning water is being further investigated.

But most important extensive work is being performed in further strengthening of the “Partnership approach” since improvements only can be a success if fulfilling a requirement from the future market.

Naturally the focus of ITW lays in the large numbers of projects within the offshore renewables business in both in the German as well as in Round 3 in British waters. Through continuous focusing on Partnership approach in combination with comprehensive development work ITW is confidant with meeting the challenges laying ahead.

About ITW WindGroup/ITW Polymers Europe:

ITW WindGroup and ITW Polymers Europe is part of a division of ITW (Illinois Tool Works). ITW is one of the world’s most diversified industrial companies, with a sales turnover in 2013 of USD 18 billion. Established in 1912, today ITW employs over 50,000 people worldwide.

ITW’s companies manufactures and sells a variety of industrial products, and the brands Densit® and Ducorit® are sold through ITW Polymers Division Europe in cooperation with ITW WindGroup.