Manufacturing Renaissance: Reviving American Pride through Wind Manufacturing

“If you want to know where American manufacturing is happening, it’s right here.”

In Colorado, Vestas has invested more than $1 billion to establish two manufacturing facilities that serve the North American market. 

Since 2010, the Blades Factory in Windsor has been producing blades in a 666,000 square foot facility, while the Nacelles Factory in Brighton proudly manufactures wind turbine components (nacelles and hubs) in a 265,000 square foot facility.

In 2023, Vestas announced plans to invest $40 million to expand both facilities, including hiring upwards of 1,000 additional Coloradans to support the manufacturing efforts. 

Miguel Banuelos, a heavy equipment operator and Coloradan, spends his workday loading giant wind turbine blades onto trucks and trains at the Windsor facility. 

“I love the fact that we’re moving large products, you know, just fabricating. Building something, from nothing.” 

After the birth of his first child, Miguel applied to the role in search of better benefits to support his expanding family—but quickly came to understand that this was his intended place of employment. 

“I take pride to be the one that last sees these blades before they go out.” 

Miguel now works as a global safety trainer for new hires and oversees a group of eighteen heavy equipment and logistics operators. 

“These turbines are made in America, for America. It feels good to be a part of that.” 

For Miguel Banuelos, working at the Vestas manufacturing plant isn’t just a job—it’s a source of pride, knowing he’s helping power America’s future with clean energy. 

Find more stories of the new U.S. clean energy manufacturing renaissance in ACP’s Clean Energy Investing in America report.