With the Renewable Electricity Generation industry growing by 7% every year, I believe workwear and PPE suppliers have a responsibility to find the answers to safety questions before they’re asked. But first we need to understand what makes the renewables industry different from the rest.
This sector is growing, fast. That means that it requires a supplier that doesn’t wait for the customer to make requests or highlight problems. It’s a dynamic, agile, and forward-thinking sector. It clearly needs a much more proactive type of supplier than the power industry might be used to.
The whole renewables sector has become energised in the last couple of years. It’s constantly driven by innovation and is an ever-evolving journey of learning and development. As companies work along the wide spectrum of energy-source avenues, they encounter advocates and critics alike.
At meetings, forums, conferences, and expos, the industry is saying the same things: “Supply chain capacity MUST increase” and “government needs to speed up supply chain support”. I also hear the phrases: “skill gaps need filling”,” innovation is essential” or “supplier agility is urgently needed!”.
The industry knows what it needs and suppliers like Tower are finding solutions. We were named BSiF Safety Distributor of the Year 2023 in part because we collaborate with clients and partners to develop innovative products. The successful supplier will be the one closest to their customers.
Suppliers also need to think laterally about solutions, beyond past examples and outside the traditional sectors. And help build for the future. Provide longer contracts to account for turbine size increases and go above and beyond to support the rapid buildout of offshore wind projects.
I work in renewables because it’s the most exciting, progressive, and ground-breaking industry we could ever supply. The change it has seen in the last decade is beyond belief, and the demand for sustainable energy is as insatiable as ever. We just need to make sure we all stay one step ahead.
