Recently lauded for investing $10 million and creating 200 jobs over five years in Elberton, Georgia, Hailo LLC is a success story made real. We caught up with CEO Steffen Kosir to find out a little more about the Germany-based organisation that produces climbing and service lift systems for turbines.
PES: What is your on-the-ground assessment of the wind energy sector in the US? Is business as brisk as you’d like?
Steffen Kosir: The US wind energy market is still in an economic development phase. The natural conditions such as wind channels, and the space for future additions of towers are there, however, political groundwork still needs to be laid to realize its full potential.
It is imperative that the public be educated about wind energy as a clean energy alternative, the positive economic impact gained for communities as well as the many environmental benefits for current and future generations. AWEA continues to influence the US politics, and the production tax credit will be the key for future wind energy growth in the US.
PES: At what stage of a wind farm’s development does your company get involved? And also, do you offer a retro-fit service?
SK: Hailo started in the wind energy business in 1996 and began by providing products out of its core business – commercial ladder systems. We were involved early on as one of the first manufacturers to introduce Service Lifts to the wind energy market.
From that point on, product research and development started to proactively expand our offering in a growing and globalized wind energy market. Today, Hailo produces all mechanical tower components, such as platforms, guardrails, shielding, brackets, ladder systems, Service Lifts, etc. out of its worldwide subsidiaries.
