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SPONSORS OF COMPETENCY TRAINING FEATURE


GRASPING THE NETTLE


BEATING THE RECESSION


In 2009 the Energy sector took a huge hit just like industries all over the UK, presenting serious trading difficulties and a grim future for companies nationwide.


With drops in global energy consumption estimated to be 3.5% and investment worldwide plunging, the energy industry was changing and it was keep up, or give up.


SAFETY SPECIALISTS’ EXPERIENCE For South Wales based safety specialists Safety Technology this was exactly the case. Founded in 2002 as a safety equipment supplier for work at heights in the utilities and telecom industries, they watched as businesses all around them took a turn for the worse.


WIND ENERGY – RECOGNISING THE POTENTIAL A breeze of hope however formed on the horizon for this small enterprise, in the shape of a wind turbine.


Quick to recognise the need for safety professionals in this new and rapidly growing sector, Safety Technology used their knowledge in work at heights safety and set about developing their current equipment and training to meet the very specific demands of the Wind industry. With 2,500 land based turbines in the UK, and 95 approved for construction in 2009 alone, the demand for trained turbine technicians was at an all-time high.


GETTING INVOLVED


Having gained RenewableUK accreditation in 2009, by 2010 Safety Technology was training technicians globally, clients including industry leaders such as Vestas, Gamesa, Alstom, Dong and Suzlon. With training instructors travelling widely throughout Europe, the US and Asia to deliver courses, it soon became apparent to the South Wales safety company that the


80 www.windenergynetwork.co.uk


industry was crying out for a one-stop-shop for wind turbine safety training in the UK.


COLLABORATION In order to be able to offer this, they identified the need to look to collaborate with specialists in other industry areas. In 2011 the company joined with Fleetwood Nautical College to offer a top range of offshore safety training to meet the demands of round three, and later that year Lufthansa Resource Technical Training to develop a specialist turbine blade composite materials training course.


“The growth in the wind sector has created fantastic opportunities for our company and others prepared to use some innovation and vision to meet the needs of wind farm owners and developers, and it is great to be part of a sector which is growing rapidly and in which the UK is the world leader” says the company’s Managing Director Bob Dickens.


INDUSTRY GROWTH With 333 wind farm projects in planning for this year alone, the UK wind industry shows no signs of slowing down and neither does Safety Technology announcing a new partnership with Newcastle College earlier this year.


Striving towards creating a centre of excellence in the UK for wind energy safety, they have added another string to their bow with this new collaboration, now being able to offer courses such as mechanical turbine technician training, gearbox maintenance and RenewableUK MST in the North East of England.


THE ONLY WAY IS UP In a time of economic instability this small South Wales based company has seen a 50 per cent growth in employment, profit and sales. An influx in trainees and equipment sales led to a move for the company in 2010 to larger premises, and with the UK now the world leader in offshore wind generated electricity it seems for this success story the only way is up.


Safety Technology Ltd www.safetytechnology.co.uk


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