Vestas’ Largest Integrated Wind Energy Manufacturing Complex Has Reached Another Milestone, Vestas

Release Date: 2009-10-15

New production capabilities and capacities added, demonstrate Vestas’ commitment and confidence in China’s wind energy market

Tianjin, October 15 – Vestas, the world leader in wind energy, today officially inaugurated its largest and most comprehensive wind energy manufacturing complex globally in Tianjin Economic Development Area.

Production of control systems and machined parts are the new production capabilities added and additional capacity has been built to the existing generator factory and blades factory. This mean that the manufacturing complex is now the most comprehensive and largest integrated wind energy complex for Vestas in the world capable of producing nacelles, blades, generators, control systems and machined parts. Vestas is also opening a new supply and logistics center for internal parts for wind turbine towers.

These new facilities will increase Vestas’ production capacity and continue the company’s efforts to increasingly localize production and bring in new capabilities to China and will continue to deliver high-quality wind turbines for China and the international markets.

The new facilities represent an investment of more than RMB 1.8 billion (more than USD 220 million) which is part of Vestas’ long term investment program. In total, Vestas has invested more than RMB 2.5 billion (more than USD 380 million) in TEDA only which is more than 70 per cent of Vestas’ total investments in China. By the end of 2009, Vestas has invested more than RMB 3 billion in China.

Over the course of its expansion in the past years, the TEDA complex has gradually become a major global wind energy hub for Vestas and supports TEDA’s position as a key wind energy and clean technology manufacturing center in China and globally.

“Vestas is proud to open these new facilities and continue our growth, investment and development in China. These new production capabilities will ensure increased localization, more green jobs, technological development of employees, additional partnerships with component suppliers, and will help us keep pace with the incredible growth in China’s wind energy sector,” says Vestas China President Lars Andersen. “I would like to thank the TEDA and Tianjin officials who have provided great assistance in making Tianjin a natural home for our manufacturing in China.”

With more than 130,000m2 of factory floor area, this complex is one of Vestas’ largest integrated wind energy complexes in the world, capable of delivering technologically sophisticated wind energy solutions to Vestas’ customers.

Mr. Ni Xiangyu, Vice-Chairman of Tianjin TEDA Management Committee says, “Since Vestas came to the development area in 2005, Vestas has in areas such as development of new energy, technology innovation and project development and has been cooperating with the development area extensively. In the past four years, Vestas has continuously expanded the presence in terms of capital, technologies and human resources and has become an important player within new materials, new energy and environmentally sustainable value chain. Today, the completion of the integrated manufacturing complex is a symbol of the new stage of the cooperation between both parties. We are very confident that Vestas will become the “New Energy and New Driver” for the Development Area.”

The new Control Systems factory is another step towards increasing localization for Vestas. Manufacturing control systems – the brains of the wind turbine – in China means Vestas has further localized its production, and will now source control system components in China, rather than importing them. As well, Control Systems has located product development capacity for control systems in China.

“By placing a factory for control systems in China, Vestas brings both new technological components and capabilities to the region and hereby supporting the development of the TEDA area and China’s wind energy industry,” says Bjarne Ravn Sørensen, President of Vestas Control Systems. “We bring knowledge to China through our international manufacturing network by training the Chinese staff in Denmark, which enables local talent development.”

With the opening of this controls factory, Vestas has taken one step further in increasing its technology presence in China and its long-term commitment to supporting China’s scientific approach to the development of its wind energy industry.

Type:	NORMAL
Company:	Vestas
Country:	Denmark