Canada’s Tower Solutions makes transmission towers for power networks. Its rapid-deployment technology means utilities can quickly connect new sources of power-generating capacity to existing grids. The towers also help restore power after a disaster.
In mid-2022, Tower Solutions decided on a strategic investment in Australia. Its new Adelaide base will include manufacturing, assembly, engineering, research and design. New hires will help turn the Adelaide facility into a springboard for regional growth.
‘We want Australia to be a hub for the Asia region,’ says Ciro Pasini, Co-founder and President, Tower Solutions. ‘We will connect new, renewable energy plants to the grid at a lower cost than traditional methods and support disaster recovery across Australia.’
A brilliant solution to a practical problem
Pasini founded Tower Solutions in Toronto, Canada in 2003. His core idea was to build kits for rapid, self-erecting power transmission towers.
Engineered to a unique design, these towers radically reduce the time and cost of restoring power to damaged grids. They also enable new or minor sources of power generation to be connected to the grid at a fraction of the traditional cost.
Using Tower Solutions kits, one person can deploy a fully equipped, 37-metre, electricity transmission tower in just hours. Meanwhile, new power line-connecting technology means operators can splice severed cables in one quick action.
‘We sell an entire engineering solution,’ says Pasini. ‘Our kits are available around the world, including across North and South America, Europe and Asia.’
Australia: a commercial hub for Asia
When Pasini looked to Australia for growth, he saw beyond immediate market opportunities.
‘I found a country very similar to Canada: people think the same way, and the laws and regulations are the same,’ he says. ‘So, we began to think about corporate expansion.
‘We envisaged Australia as a commercial hub for the Asia region. We could bring managers here and build a service-delivery centre here.
‘Also, we discovered universities, labs and training centres that are very similar to Canada. That meant we could develop new technologies in Australia.’
Tower Solutions opened its office in Adelaide, South Australia, in December 2024.
Tower Solutions’ kits enable a fully equipped, 37-metre, electricity transmission tower to be deployed in just hours.
Investment in Australian manufacturing
The company’s next step is to set up manufacturing facilities in Adelaide.
‘Our goal is to assemble tower-erecting kits in Australia in the same way we assemble them in Canada,’ says Pasini. ‘In time, the tower kits will include Australian-made componentry, such as locally made insulators.’
Tower Solutions’ investment also brings new skills and knowledge, building the capability of the local manufacturing industry.
‘Australia will become a regional base for engineering and manufacturing,’ says Pasini. ‘Setting up here means we can expand more easily into India, Indonesia and the Asia region.’
New ways to connect renewables
The investment will also expedite Australia’s transition to net zero.
Australia needs to build around 10,000 km of new network transmission lines to connect renewable energy plants to the grid. But some connections will be more challenging than others.
‘In built-up areas, a short,10–15–kilometre connection can be very problematic,’ says Pasini. ‘Fortunately, our towers have a very low visual impact.
‘Connections in remote areas are also difficult. Using traditional towers, it might take years to connect a new, coastal wind farm to the grid. We can do it in weeks.
‘This means we can support Australian communities with state-of-the-art solutions during the transition to net zero.’
How Austrade helped
Tower Solutions began working with Austrade in mid-2022.
‘Austrade advisers provided lots of information about Australia, regulations and business costs,’ says Pasini. ‘The level of support made me feel comfortable about coming to another country.
‘Networking helped us a lot. Austrade advisers connected us directly to the utilities. That meant we understood the power transmission market in Australia.
‘Lastly, Austrade helped with exploratory trips to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. This gave us a feel for the opportunities – and how we could build a corporate presence here.’
Plans for expansion
Tower Solutions is now setting up its assembly plant in South Australia.
‘Our strategy will be to bring the core pieces from Canada and slowly build up our assembly and manufacturing capabilities,’ says Pasini. ‘We will introduce robotic welding in about 2 years. This is how we currently manufacture in Canada.
‘In time, we will hire locally and train employees here in Australia. Our goal is to build a centre of excellence in Adelaide for the entire Asia-Pacific region.’
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