Editorial: Magazine Aandrijftechniek

From oil & gas to wind energy

Aandrijf Technisch Buro based in Venlo, The Netherlands, has been a significant supplier to Dutch machine builders active in the oil & gas sector for many years. Many producers of deck equipment, such as pipe tensioner systems, various types of winches and cranes, entrusted the mechanical transmissions of numerous projects to the specialists from Venlo. Whether these were standard gearboxes or fully customized units, with or without certification, Aandrijf Technisch Buro was always up for the challenge.

Due to the global shift in fossil fuels, the Limburg-based mechanical transmission specialist has witnessed a substantial decline in the market segment where they were highly successful for decades. Orders consisting of 12 (planetary) gearboxes with a value exceeding half a million euros had become routine for Aandrijf Technisch Buro. "Unfortunately, we haven't seen such projects for a long time, and that is why we had to shift our focus some time ago," says Sraar van Rens.

Gearboxes for the world's largest offshore construction vessel

Dinamic Oil​
Today, the average order value for Aandrijf Technisch Buro is much lower. The diversity of customers has increased significantly, and a large portion of the sold gearboxes are now assembled in their own workshop. "Thanks to our know-how and longstanding, close collaboration with the Italian manufacturer of planetary gearboxes, Dinamic Oil, we've been able to shift our focus." The flexible organization, extensive stock of sub-assemblies, an in-house test bench, and painting cabin enable them to respond quickly to market needs.

Wind energy
The growing demand for equipment to install and maintain offshore wind turbines came at the right time for the team in Venlo. In a relatively short time, they have secured various projects with wind energy as the final destination. Van Rens continues, "These projects involve the supply of gearboxes and winches for various applications such as monopile grippers, (up-tower) cranes, access bridges, and various handling and lifting tools. Due to increasing investments in green energy and the strong position of Dutch machine builders in this market segment, we see a growing interest in our expertise and flexibility."

Customization
In 2022, Aandrijf Technisch Buro was approached by an existing customer, who was looking for an alternative series of gearboxes that had been purchased from a competitor for years. "It involved various models with two key requirements: the units had to be interchangeable and delivered with DNV certification. After several technical sessions with the customer's engineers, Dinamic Oil, and ourselves, we were able to offer a fully interchangeable series as requested." The first units have already been delivered, and planned orders extend through 2025.
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Certification and Test Bench
One of the reasons Aandrijf Technisch Buro has been successful in the maritime sector for decades is the ability to deliver customer-specific gearboxes with DNV, ABS, LR, BV, and ATEX certification within an acceptable lead time. Knowledge of applications, market know-how, combined with a flexible production partner like Dinamic Oil, is crucial. The large stock of sub-assemblies for planetary gearboxes in Venlo has a traceability system that allows the rapid delivery of units, including the 3.1 material certificates. Additionally, Aandrijf Technisch Buro recently invested in an advanced test bench where both standard gearboxes and units with a rotating housing can be tested, eventually witnessed by the customer.

Acceptance test in Venlo on their own test bench

The full article has been published in the January 2024 edition of the Dutch magazine 'Vakblad Aandrijftechniek'.