A globally renowned specialist in wind turbine rotor blade access and repair is expanding to north Suffolk.

Altitec has offices in London, Berlin, Dublin, Tallinn and Cape Town, but will soon operate from a satellite office space at Lowestoft's OrbisEnergy renewable energy innovation hub.

The new base will put the company in prime position to take advantage of the growing opportunities in offshore wind off the east coast.

Altitec was set up 15 years ago and since 2010 technicians have inspected more than 3,000 blades and 1,000 turbines worldwide.

The independently-operated rope access, blade inspection and repair business has a team of up to 50 expert technicians who service onshore and offshore wind farms all over the globe.

Managing director Tom Dyffort said: 'Lowestoft is an important port location for offshore services and the wider industry, so it is extremely interesting for us to set down some roots on the east coast and engage in all kinds of services.

'We plan to open an office, which is currently unoccupied and have a business address in the area, with the aim to install a representative there at a later stage. It is important for company preservation and also for business development.'

Altitec has recently won a £50,000 grant to develop a sophisticated new reporting system designed to provide clients with real-time data.

With the help of funding from the Supply Chain Innovation for Offshore Renewable Energy (SCORE) programme, the company is expanding its portfolio by introducing an asset management system, which uses an online database to measure the work of technicians as it happens, along with storing client specific responses.

The £6m SCORE grant scheme, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, helps companies across the UK explore new innovations that solve problems and drive efficiency in offshore renewables, bringing benefit to eastern England.

SCORE project manager Rob Bush said: 'Through the reporting system wind farm operators will be able to access data on the move, this is not only an innovative idea that Altitec has developed, but it is one which will deliver a cost-saving to operators, which as these assets move out of their warranty will become increasingly important.'