Wind turbine blades to be made in China

TPI Composites (TPI), a maker of large-scale composite structures, has signed a long term supply agreement with GE Energy to manufacture wind turbine blades in a new production facility to be established in Taicang, China. 

The plant will occupy 190,000 square feet with the ability to expand. Production will begin early in 2008 and TPI expects to employ approximately 450 people at the facility at full production rates.

The agreement also provides GE with a license to TPI's patented vacuum infusion process technology.

“TPI is very pleased to have reached an agreement with GE Energy to manufacture wind blades in China for their use,” says Steven C. Lockard, president and chief executive officer of TPI. “We are eager to provide our partners such as GE with growth capacity and a source of competitive advantage that can come from focused blade factories.”

“We have selected the Taicang Port Development Zone to locate our factory. We greatly appreciate the cooperation we have received from the local government and port authorities” said Wayne G. Monie, TPI’s chief operating officer. “We are creating a high tech composites operation to serve the Chinese market as well as the export market in a high-quality, cost-efficient manner.”

GE Energy is a world leader in wind energy, with over 9,100 worldwide wind turbine installations comprising more than 8,600 MW of capacity.

TPI Composites, with headquartered in Warren, Rhode Island, is a leading manufacturer of large-scale composite structures for the wind energy, transportation, and military vehicle markets.

Cleantech developments making news in the past 24 hours

• 'Mittelstand' drives Germany's cleantech boom
• Israel allows first solar power plants

View the last week of cleantech developments here | Subscribe to full feed