PRESS RELEASE 2nd October 2007
The winds of change...
Arklow, 15 miles south of Dublin, is home to one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world. Situated in one of the windiest places in Ireland, this wind farm is subject to some extreme weather conditions. Only the toughest coatings survive in these conditions, which is why Leighs Paints has been called in to assist with the refurbishment of the wind farm. The wind farm, normally referred to as Arklow Bank, has been in operation since 2003 providing renewable electricity to Irish homes. The high winds and choppy seas have taken their toll on the massive turbines which now require a more durable coating system. This has lead to Leighs Paints being approached to provide an alternative solution. Leighs experience in the marine and offshore industries, meant they were able to provide a specification for a wind farm which will provide a life to first maintenance of 10 years. Sections beneath the water will be treated with a specialist underwater application primer/buildcoat that is applied to the turbine in situ. The turbine sections above the water will be treated with a glass flake epoxy coating topped with gloss finish in light grey (RAL7035). These coatings have been tried and tested on projects like the Forth rail bridge, Total offshore oil platforms and wave generators in Portugal. The maintenance programme is underway, with main contractor Pyeroy undertaking the refurbishment work on behalf of GE Energy and Airtricity.
Ends Word Count: 242 Note to Editors: Leighs Paints is the UKs leading independent manufacturer of high performance coatings employing 250 people worldwide. Through continuous innovation, and a commitment to the environment, Leighs product range includes protective coatings for the most exacting conditions. Leighs Paints also offers excellent technical advice, support and training to ensure technical understanding within the industry is of a high standard. For further information please contact: Amy Watkins, Marketing Co-ordinator, Leighs Paints Tel: +44 (0) 1204 521771, Fax +44 (0) 1204 382115, e-mail: amy.watkins@leighspaints.co.uk, website: www.leighspaints.co.uk