Allthread Industries is delighted to announce that its wind-turbine anchor cages were awarded the Gold accolade in the engineering category of the 2022 Australian Good Design Awards on 16 September. The Awards are the highest honour for design and innovation in the country, recognising projects that demonstrate excellence in design and highlight the impacts of a design-led approach on business success, and social and environmental outcomes.
Allthread’s low-impact anchor cages are revolutionising costs, environmental impacts and productivity in the local wind farm industry, significantly reducing the time, labour and safety challenges involved in the installation. This is especially important in an increasingly carbon-constrained, renewable energy-powered economy.
In announcing the award, the Jury commented, ‘Great to see this safe and environmentally-conscious innovation contribute to such an important area of our economy and society. Congratulations on this way to improve productivity and strengthen local industries!’
Allthread is an Australian manufacturer, prioritising not only the environment, but local manufacturing as well. This results in improved quality and products, reduced environmental impacts, and benefits to the local economy and industries. Its anchor cages are designed, manufactured and preassembled in the Allthread factory in Sydney, then delivered for on-site installation. (Most anchor cages are made in China and imported as flatpacks.) Local, sustainable solutions are prioritised: all steel and 98% of each cage’s total content is Australian, with 50% also recycled.
‘We are thrilled to have our achievements recognised’, said Simon Preston, Group General Manager of Allthread Industries. ‘This accolade is an acknowledgement of the innovative design solutions we use to produce better, safer, cheaper and more reliable anchor cages, at the same time slashing environmental impacts and supporting the local economy.’
Wind-turbine anchor cages are an important component of wind power developments. These enormous steel cages are installed below ground and filled with concrete, their weight keeping the massive turbine towers stable, even under huge wind forces. Designs vary, but thick steel baseplates with hundreds of bolts attached (4 metres long, 50 kilograms) are put in pits and buried in concrete, the bolts then attached to the turbine’s base.
The Good Design Award is the latest recognition of Allthread’s innovations, which have drastically reduced delivery and installation times, costs and environmental impacts while supporting local industry. Some of the benefits of Allthread cages include
- Decreased costs. For example, on the Murra Warra 2 Wind Farm, the Allthread anchor cages were approximately $200,000 cheaper than imported alternatives (around 5% of cage costs, including installation and labour).
- Reduced installation time: 90 minutes using two workers plus crane versus two days with six workers and heavy machinery.
- Phenomenal time savings: one example is at Murra Warra 2 Wind Farm, where installation was completed two weeks early, despite commencing two weeks late.
- Reliable delivery: trucks versus shipping (seven weeks versus three months).
- Supports local industry and jobs: manufactured locally with 98% Australian content.
- Increased safety: no reported incidents. All manual lifting and finger pinch opportunities eliminated, and working at heights minimised.
- Increased environmental sustainability: including half the carbon footprint.
- No waste on delivery, saving 15 tonnes of landfill per project.
This award comes in what has already been a great year for the company. A recent Independent Life-Cycle Assessment study showed that Allthread’s anchor cages have a far lower overall environmental impact than similar overseas products, including a 47% lower carbon footprint.
Since beginning to supply the Australian market, Allthread has shipped more than 1200 anchor cages, with current contracts for 332 anchor cages across MacIntyre, Clarke Creek and Goyder wind farms.
Allthread Industries are proud to be awarded a Gold Good Design Award, recognising the company’s commitment to excellence in design and innovation. For further information about Allthread Industries, please contact Simon Preston, Group General Manager at +61 (0)429 465 786, [email protected]
More information about the Australian Good Design Awards can be found here: www.good-design.org