European wind power giant Siemens Gamesa recently announced a major strategic shift: significantly ramping up expansion in its offshore wind business while simultaneously undertaking a large-scale streamlining and optimization of its onshore wind operations.
On November 20 local time, Vinod Philip, CEO of Siemens Gamesa, announced that the company plans to shut down some factories.
Offshore wind power has become the absolute focal point of this strategic realignment. Siemens Gamesa will leverage its proven 15MW SG15 flagship model and 14MW platform to drive sustained, scaled growth in its offshore business, targeting annual installations of 500 offshore wind turbines by fiscal years 2026-2027. This represents a nearly 70% increase over the 300 units installed in fiscal year 2025.
Production capacity will expand in tandem. Taking the Port of Cuxhaven facility in Germany as an example, annual production capacity will increase from 100 units in fiscal year 2023 to 300 units by fiscal year 2025, providing the manufacturing capacity needed to support the expansion of offshore operations.
In terms of market positioning, the UK and EU have accumulated a total installed capacity of 37GW, forming the core foundation. Simultaneously, Siemens Gamesa is actively expanding into emerging offshore wind markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, China.
In stark contrast to its aggressive expansion in offshore operations, Siemens Gamesa has launched a “streamlining and optimization” plan for its onshore wind business. Specific adjustments include reducing its global onshore manufacturing bases from 10 to 4, streamlining its turbine platforms from 11 to 4, and focusing on 12 core markets to ensure value maximization.
Following the restructuring, the onshore business will fully transition to a “service-centric” model, focusing on providing operations and maintenance (O&M) and refurbishment services for 65GW of operational wind turbines in core markets across North America and Europe. Most of these turbines have been operating reliably for 15-20 years and are concentrated in high-quality wind resource areas, offering significant potential for performance upgrades and extended lifespans. They will become the core profit driver for the onshore business.
In fact, ramping up offshore wind power has become a collective strategic consensus among European manufacturers. The realization of this strategic goal hinges on robust support from core components. The three-row cylindrical main bearings from Germany's century-old brand HKW, with their full-condition adaptability and technological advantages, have emerged as the ideal supporting solution for this strategic trend.
German HKW three-row cylindrical main bearings leverage triple technological expertise in structure, materials, and manufacturing processes to deliver six core advantages: high reliability, strong load-bearing capacity, robust structural rigidity, high transmission efficiency, easy installation, and low overall cost. Whether deployed in onshore wind farms or confronting salt spray corrosion and extreme wave conditions in offshore environments, the HKW three-row cylindrical main bearing significantly reduces turbine downtime and maintenance frequency, delivering efficient performance across all operational scenarios. HKW remains deeply committed to the wind power equipment market, leveraging its global localized service network to provide cutting-edge technology and premium products to partners worldwide.
