Dong Energy has bought the Danish firm A2SEA from Dansk Kapitalanlæg, Lønmodtagernes Dyrtidsfond and Clipper Projects and a series of minor shareholders for approximately DKK700m (£80m).
A2SEA is a supplier of vessels used for the construction of offshore wind farms. Dong Energy has been using its vessels for a series of offshore projects, and one of them is presently engaged in the construction of the Horns Rev 2 wind farm in the North Sea.
'The purchase of A2SEA enables Dong Energy to make the installation of offshore wind turbines even more efficient,' said Anders Eldrup, Dong Energy's chief executive.
Dong Energy is close to completing the 209MW Horns Rev 2 and 172MW Gunfleet Sands I+II projects. In the coming years, the company also plans to build the Walney I+II (367MW) offshore wind farms. Furthermore, Dong Energy plans to build the world's largest offshore wind park, the 630MW London Array I, with E.ON and Masdar.
A2SEA, which is based in Fredericia, employs about 200 people and owns four vessels. It was established in 2000 with transport, installation and servicing of offshore wind farms as its core business. Since then, it has helped to install more than 60 per cent of all offshore wind turbines.
PMI falls as manufacturers feel the squeeze
17 months or two and a half years - which is it?