PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Molded Fiber Glass Companies is building a new plant in Aberdeen that will make the huge blades that turn wind turbines, officials announced Monday.
The plant will be owned by the Aberdeen Development Corp. and leased and operated by the company, which is headquartered in Ashtabula, Ohio. State officials say it represents a $40 million investment and the creation of up to 750 jobs.
The new plant will help GE Energy meet a worldwide demand for the wind turbines, according to a release from Gov. Mike Rounds' office.
The plant plans to supply more turbine blades to GE Energy, starting in 2008.
"GE currently has over 6,500 1.5 (megawatt) wind turbines in operation worldwide. By the end of 2008, we expect that number to exceed 10,000 units," said Victor Abate of GE Energy. "The new MFG facility in Aberdeen will significantly increase the manufacturing capacity of our supply chain, as we continue to face strong demand for wind turbines in the U.S. and worldwide."
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"We are pleased to continue supporting GE's efforts in the wind energy industry, which is experiencing unprecedented growth around the world," said Richard Morrison, MFG's chief executive officer. "We are also grateful to the team in the Gov.'s Office of Economic Development and their hard work to make this happen in South Dakota."
Rounds said it makes good business sense for GE to have its wind blades made "in the heart of North America's best wind energy resource."
GE expects its wind business revenues to exceed $4 billion this year. GE has supplied wind turbines representing more than half of the new wind capacity across the nation the past two years.
On the Net: MFG: http://www.moldedfiberglass.com
