Siemens Gamesa in the wake of an upcoming turnaround programme may reduce the number of turbine models and offer more standardised and simplified products, the OEM's new chief executive Jochen Eickholt said when commenting on its latest quarterly loss.
The manufacturer earlier today had reported a widening second quarter (January March 2022) loss of €377m ($399.5m) amid continued challenges from the ramp-up of its 5.X turbine platform and supply chain disruptions, and announced it will soon present a plan called Mistral to improve its profitability.
"The number of product points is something we look at, because typically for one turbine to be effective also from a commercial perspective, you need to have a certain minimum volume behind that," Eickholt said at a results conference call.
"If that is not given, then the question is why should we continue to offer those, and perhaps we can focus more."
The manufacturer currently offers six different onshore wind turbines in the 3MW to 6MW range, plus country-specific models in North America, France and Japan. In the offshore segment, Siemens Gamesa offers a wide range of turbines with capacities from 6 to 15 MW.
In its drive for sustainability and profitability, Siemens Gamesa should see whether it can be "more standardised, and more simple, and more simplified", the CEO said.
"If we were able to come to a more modular concept... like in the automotive world, if we were able to transfer a little bit into that direction, this would be a great benefit."
Looking at the details of the company's product portfolio, there are different architectures of turbines, according to Eickholt.
"To develop those in parallel is a burden for any organisation. If we were able to standardise this, it would be a great advantage."
The CEO as an example gave electrical components and converter systems, which at times are geared and have drive trains and in other models not.
We "have different architectures around the technical set-up of the nacelle as such, the mechanical part of it rather, and there are further elements even in the towers."
Eckholt added that the manufacturer is also looking into what level it needs to do in-house versus external procurement.
