For years, the wind power industry has led the global energy transition, symbolizing and pioneering renewable energy and technological advancements. Wind energy is indispensable, driving economic growth and innovation. Numerous companies worldwide are engaged in producing, transporting, and installing wind turbines, rotor blades, and other components essential for wind power plants. As research and technological advancements progress, the loads to be transported have become increasingly larger and heavier, making the transportation routes more complex and demanding.
Goldhofer has established itself as a pioneer in innovative and sustainable transportation solutions, starting with the revolutionary FTV 300 for wind turbine blade operations. Today, the FTV 850 represents the third generation of this efficient transport solution. Tower adapters and the BLADES steerable trailing dolly complete Goldhofer’s specialized portfolio for transporting wind turbine components. “With the large number of units sold, we have proven that customers can rely on our solutions in the long term,” says Robert Steinhauser, Vice President Sales & Service Transport Technology at Goldhofer.
Goldhofer’s transport solutions are deployed globally. A notable example is P. Schwandner Logistik + Transport GmbH. Since April 2021, Goldhofer AG’s premises have regularly featured Schwandner’s green fleet. Responding to the wind power boom, Schwandner has modernized and expanded its extensive wind power portfolio with Goldhofer solutions. Schwandner’s latest acquisition includes seven state-of-the-art RA 2-110s, enabling the transportation of tower sections weighing up to 110 tons and measuring up to 6.8 meters in diameter. This vehicle concept meets the stringent safety requirements of Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas, offering improved lateral stability and safety, even at high tilt angles.
In 2020, Goldhofer perfected the BLADES concept, which uses the load as the connecting element between the tractor unit and the trailer. This system, combined with a self-tracking trailing dolly, allows the negotiation of narrow passages with turbine blades over 100 meters long. For the return trip, the combination operates as a semitrailer, ensuring optimal path tracking performance at all times. Manual rear steering via radio remote control enables navigation through challenging spaces, such as hairpin bends. A master-slave switchover feature allows the driver to delegate steering to an escort vehicle, ensuring maximum safety and flexibility.
“Goldhofer’s BLADES system offers us significant advantages in our daily work: excellent maneuverability, higher speeds compared to blade lifters, and significantly more ground clearance compared to extendable vehicles,” says Peter Schwandner, Managing Director of P. Schwandner Logistik + Transport GmbH. “With four BLADES units already delivered and six more on order, we are well-equipped for the safe and fast transportation of the latest generation wind power components.”
Goldhofer’s solutions are also in high demand internationally. In mid-2023, Peruvian heavy haulage specialist TRANSPORTES ACOINSA S.A.C. used two Goldhofer FTV 850s to transport 77-meter rotor blades for the Wayra II wind farm in the Ica region. The demanding 129 km route from the port to the wind farm required the rotor blades to be raised for 50% of the journey due to narrow passages and obstacles. The FTV 850’s lift angle of up to 60° ensured all obstacles were easily overcome. “With Goldhofer, we are always on the safe side. Their advanced technology and unbeatable safety and reliability ensure we are well-equipped for future transportation challenges,” says Miguel Sanchez, Manager Special Operations at ACOINSA.
Goldhofer maintains a regular and constructive dialogue with customers to fulfill its mission as a leading full-service provider of transport solutions in the wind power sector. Their award-winning portfolio for cable drum transportation exemplifies their commitment to continuous product development and customer satisfaction.
