Global Specialized Services was recently awarded and completed three Repower projects for a brand-new customer.

The projects – Community Wind South(CWS), Elk Wind, and Hawkeye Wind Farm – involved the transportation of multiple wind tower components across the country. 

The three projects consisted of transporting all above-tower components from the V110 turbine from multiple TP&L locations to project locations in Minnesota and Northeast Iowa. The components were transported over 700 miles, and their successful delivery set the tone for the remaining two projects. All turbines were delivered within the initial budget, on schedule, and most importantly without any incidents or injuries.

“It was a really good, really successful project,” said Aaron Nirider, the Senior Project Manager for GSS. “It really set us up for the next two projects that we did for them.”

The next projects were the Elk Wind Project and the Hawkeye Project. 

The Elk Wind Project involved the transportation of 17 Nacells, Hubs, Blade sets, DTA’s, and Generators – from O’Neill, Nebraska, to Greeley, Iowa; over 400 miles. 

The Hawkeye Project, as the name suggests, was another 400-mile project in which 15 Nacelles, Hubs, Blade sets, DTA’s, and Generators were also loaded out of O’Neill, Nebraska, and delivered to Hawkeye, Iowa. 

All three Repower Projects proved that GSS continues to deliver in more ways than one. 

“We received all three jobs at the same time,” Nirider shared. “But the first project we completed really set the tone. Especially with them being a new customer, it was really good to show them, especially on that first project, what we’re all about and how we do business.” 

Nirider stated that he spoke with the customer shortly after the completion of the CWS project to get feedback on the company’s performance. 

“They were very impressed with us,” he said. “They were very excited for us to start the remaining projects, and afterward, they said they were impressed with those too. Each project kind of compounded on itself and helped the next one. By the end of it, they were extremely pleased with our work and, hopefully, some future work will come out of it.” 

Nirider stated that each project had 12 drivers, as well as a site manager. Nirider said the site manager, Bob Marino, oversaw all three projects and did an incredible job. 

“A lot of the credit is given to Bob for his work on these,” he stated. “With the logistics onsite, keeping good face with the customer, and everything else he did. He did a great job.” 

As did the drivers. Each of the 12 drivers operated efficiently, effectively, and, most of all, safely. Safety, as is always the case with Takkion companies, was the number one priority. 

“It’s the most important aspect of any project we do,” Nirider said. “Everything in our company is dependent on how we put our safety procedures in place. We ran route surveys prior to loading the components to make sure that there were no obstructions, such as power lines hanging low, bridges, construction, and to make sure all the turns could be made safely.

Safety is the number one consideration on any and every project Takkion takes on, and one of the most important aspects of safety and of the success of the project as a whole is communication.

“Another important part of any successful project is communication. These three projects specifically had great lines of communication between the trucks, the site, and the office. There are many reasons why these projects were successful, and the fact that the communication was streamlined was a big driver of that success”, Nirider said.

Altogether, these three projects – CWS, Elk Wind, and Hawkeye – were a big victory for GSS and for Takkion as a whole. They completed all three projects with only two minor incidents. Most importantly, they were a victory for the customer. GSS strives to deliver consistent customer service in each and every project they complete. These latest projects were just further examples of that.