New kinds of energy call for new kinds of solutions. Made in Germany. Made for You. Made by Hauff.
Wind, sun, biomass and water are the pillars of tomorrow’s power supply. Wind, in particular, is a driving force behind the current energy transition. At Hauff-Technik, we use cable and pipe penetration systems to ensure that this transition will stay successful in the long term. How? By offering more than 3,000 innovative solutions – each one of them designed and produced in Germany. We may not know what the future holds, but we can certainly try to make it that much better.
Seal the deal
Saving money on a wind plant is largely a matter of reducing maintenance and repair costs, and this can be facilitated by choosing a high-quality cable sealing system. Michael Seibold, CEO of Hauff Technik, explains how the company’s individually tailored solutions can benefit both onshore and offshore wind projects.
Throughout the wind sector, the importance of reliable cable sealing cannot be overstated. In an industry so focused on cost-effectiveness, there is little leeway for additional maintenance and repairs. While this is the case for wind energy plants, far out at sea the stakes are higher still. “The hurdle for repair and maintenance is dramatically higher offshore than on land,” says Michael Seibold, CEO of cable sealing systems supplier Hauff Technik. “You have to travel by helicopter or boat, making it much more expensive, and the mechanical and chemical attack on the materials used is quite severe.”
In the interests of saving time and resources, it is crucial that the right sorts of sealing systems are chosen from the outset. As a company of 55 years standing, one that specialises in the development, production and sale of sealing solutions for cables and pipes, Hauff Technik prides itself on the quality of its products. The company’s overall client base is impressively broad, with valued customers across a wide array of industries. Beginning with power, water and sewage utilities, Hauff-Technik has developed a particular expertise in the area of renewable energy. Top of the list is wind energy, both offshore and onshore.
“Hauff Technik does not simply provide a sealing material, but instead a comprehensive ready-to-go sealing solution.”
Customised solutions
Whereas some of its competitors provide mass-produced modular solutions to fit all applications, Hauff-Technik believes that a one-size-fits-all solution will not suffice. Its approach, based on the principle of car manufacturing, creates a highly individualised yet cost-effective system designed around the client’s specific requirements. “If you came to a car manufacturer, you would look for colour, you would look at the engine, you would look at perhaps the navigation system and so on,” says Stefan Sell, marketing and communications director. “You wouldn’t just say, ‘I need a car’. So we ask the client, ‘what’s your concept, and we’ll ensure our solutions perfectly fit your demands’.” While their basic mission is the same each time – to prevent any kind of undesirable material infiltrating the structure – the precise details vary from case to case.
Hauff-Technik does not simply provide a sealing material, but a comprehensive ready-to-go sealing solution which necessitates minimal effort on the client’s part. “The material is moulded into a specific shape so as to adhere to the particular structure,” says Seibold. “This means we are responsible not just for the material, but also the way it’s applied. It reduces the possibility of error, since the people who do the file installations no longer have to adapt the material to fit.”
Quality as standard
Longevity is paramount for Hauff-Technik, with solutions designed to last not just for a period of months or years, but for the entire duration of the structure’s lifespan. This means that, once installed, the sealings should require no extra maintenance. Needless to say, they also meet all relevant quality controls. Developed from a class A60 material that adheres to the IMO754 standard and the FTP code 2010, they are suited to cables of any size up to 1,200mm2. Hauff-Technik is renowned as a company that brings real craftsmanship to its field. With 150 people devoted to sealings, and sealings alone, it does not deviate from a specialism that has been honed over decades. “What differentiates us most from our competitors is probably the mentality of our company,” explains Seibold. “The people who have been running our company for many years are really focused on this niche. We say it’s cable sealing with an inbuilt passion – or at least, that’s the mission we try to fulfil.”
With a turnover of €36 million in 2011, the company is expanding, and has experienced organic growth of around 25% in the past few years. As the wind power industry sees more and more potential for creating efficiencies, Hauff-Technik’s meticulousness would seem to stand it in good stead. The company continues to cement its reputation as one of the leading European players in the cable sealings field.
