The North Sea wind whips across the vast assembly yard of a European multi-national facility, a ballet of cranes and towering turbine components. Just a year ago, this scene was a bottleneck. Demand for the multi-national’s massive offshore wind turbines was skyrocketing, but the Cuxhaven plant, the cornerstone of their offshore operations, was straining under capacity constraints. The facility was operating at full capacity, leaving no room for expansion. Today, the yard hums with renewed purpose, a testament to the transformative power of a strategic partnership. The architect of this change? Zetwerk, an unlikely disruptor that has redefined its role from parts supplier to operational powerhouse, redefining its role and delivering innovative solutions to overcome these critical challenges.
Zetwerk’s background:
Zetwerk is a global manufacturing services company specializing in custom manufacturing and supply chain solutions. Leveraging its extensive network of manufacturing partners and advanced technology, Zetwerk manages the entire production process, from sourcing to delivery. Historically known as a components supplier, Zetwerk has strategically evolved into a provider of end-to-end manufacturing supply chain management and operational solutions, focusing on solving complex industrial challenges.
Multi-national’s Background:
The multi-national company is a global leader in wind turbine manufacturing, and has experienced rapid growth in demand, particularly for its offshore wind turbine models. Its Cuxhaven plant in Germany, the primary global facility for offshore wind turbine assembly, faced significant operational challenges in scaling production to meet this demand, which hindered its ability to meet customer requirements and achieve production targets.
Problem statement:
The global wind turbine leader faced growing demand but struggled with space constraints, inefficient workflows, and a long 20-hour takt time at its Cuxhaven facility. Takt time is the maximum amount of time allowed to produce a unit in order to satisfy that demand. The company needed to increase production from 3-4 to 10-12 units per week without additional capex investment. “Our goal was to reduce the takt time to 8 hours and increase production to 10-12 units per week,” said a representative from the European multi-national. The challenges were:
- Capacity Constraints: The facility was operating at full capacity, limiting expansion.
- Inefficient Workflows: Pre-assembly and QC tasks consumed excessive space and manpower.
- Complex Logistics: Handling and transporting large, heavy components was slow and costly.
- No Additional Capex: The solution needed to be cost-effective and locally implemented.
Solution: Zetwerk’s Integrated Approach
Enter Zetwerk, a global manufacturing services company with a unique approach. Historically, Zetwerk supplied components to the multi-national, starting with trading activities and expanding to manufacturing Helicoids and FRP parts for a spinner project, solidifying its position as an offshore supplier. While Zetwerk had a foothold with the multi-national, momentum was slow. In 2022, revenue from the multi-national company was €1.27 million, with a forecast to grow to €3.7 million.
| Year |
Revenue (in Euros) |
| 2017 |
2,234 |
| 2018 |
18,144 |
| 2019 |
17,382 |
| 2020 |
78,936 |
| 2021 |
245,975 |
| 2022 |
1,276,107 |
| 2023 |
3,703,015 |
Zetwerk aimed to deepen its involvement in marquee customers’ supply chains and expand its capabilities globally. During a meeting with the European multi-national’s advanced procurement team in Madrid, Zetwerk addressed the latter’s critical need for increased capacity and capex constraints. Repositioning itself as a service-oriented partner, Zetwerk emphasized its “operational sales” approach, focusing on delivering solutions and operational value rather than just products.
Zetwerk proposed a comprehensive overhaul of the supply chain, tackling pre-assembly of large components like canopy parts and internal structures, as well as quality control and repair of cast metal parts. With the facility operating at near full capacity, Zetwerk identified inefficiencies using a heat map, addressing bottlenecks caused by underutilized space and disproportionate resource allocation in pre-assembly and QC tasks.
Zetwerk’s solution included key initiatives that later became core capabilities offered to other customers:
- Pre-Assembly and Kitting:
Zetwerk pre-assembled critical components like canopy bottoms and internal structures, delivering them as kits. This streamlined procurement, inventory, and assembly, boosting multinational’s capacity by 25-30%. Takt time dropped from 20 to 8 hours, doubling production output and meeting its target of 10-12 units per week.
- Quality Control and Repair:
Zetwerk managed QC and repair for large cast metal parts, including unpacking, cleaning, inspecting, and repairing. This ensured defect-free parts, minimized disruptions, and improved product quality.
- Space Optimization:
By moving pre-assembly and QC to Zetwerk’s nearby facility, the multi-national freed up 200–400 m², enabling an additional assembly station and a 25–30% capacity increase.
- Operational Integration:
Zetwerk embedded personnel within operations, ensuring seamless communication, rapid problem-solving, and alignment with operational goals.
- Operational Sales Approach:
Zetwerk proactively identified improvement opportunities, offering tailored solutions and building trust through its unique operational focus.
- Tech Integration:
Zetwerk’s manufacturing products integrated with multi-national company’s ERP, enabling real-time tracking of inventory, production, and logistics, further enhancing efficiency.
The partnership delivered transformative results. The multi-national company significantly boosted production capacity, improved efficiency, and enhanced quality, reinforcing its market leadership. The representative of the multinational company praised Zetwerk’s responsiveness and proactive approach: “A quick response, providing support for any task, being proactive, and reacting swiftly—these are key.” Within five months, Zetwerk began delivering pre-assembled parts and managing QC, with the first parts delivered in August 2024, eight months after the initial meeting.
For Zetwerk, the project was a game-changer. Revenue from the European customer is expected to grow multi-fold into hundreds of millions of dollars in the next few years.
This success underscores the value of operational excellence and strategic collaboration in manufacturing. As the multi-national company transitions to next-generation turbine models, Zetwerk is poised to be a long-term partner, supporting capacity expansion and operational optimization. The Cuxhaven project also sets the stage for Zetwerk to replicate this model globally, including at the European multi-national’s Taiwan plant, positioning Zetwerk as a leader in delivering comprehensive manufacturing solutions.
For queries, please contact: marketing@zetwerk.com
