Wind turbine blade maker adding 850 jobs in U.S.

Wind turbine blade manufacturer LM Wind Power is boosting capacity in its U.S. manufacturing base, adding more than 850 jobs to support increased volumes from major customers, the company said in a news release today.

LM said it has doubled its U.S. workforce in less than six months from 350 in April to a little more than 700 in August, adding, "The company continues to expand significantly into next year, expecting to employ around 1200 people in the U.S. in 2014."

The additional staff, the firm said, will work in its factories in Grand Forks, N.D., and Little Rock, Ark., and serve demand in the U.S. market where the company is seeing increased volumes from key customers following the extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) January 1.

“We are pleased to see that the market is improving again following a period of low activity due to uncertainty around the PTC,” said LM Wind Power’s Head of U.S. Operations, Bill Burga Jr. “With the political framework in place, our customers are winning more business again and we are ready to serve their demand for highly efficient quality blades for the US market, adding hundreds of extra jobs. Now it is crucial that the politicians remain committed to securing a stable economic framework to enable continued industry growth and increased US employment.”

LM Wind Power will have around 570 employees in Grand Forks and little more than 400 in Little Rock at the end of 2013, adding another 250 in 2014. With the continued expansion of the workforce, LM Wind Power’s U.S. factories will be among the company’s biggest. The firm operates 14 blade manufacturing plants across Americas, Europe and Asia.

Photo credit: LM Wind Power