LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, is planning to acquire WMC’s test facility in Wieringerwerf, the Netherlands.
The facility will provide rotor hub testing for new GE turbines and also continue to offer blade and other product testing, digital tools, research, and other services to the wider wind industry in the Netherlands and beyond.
The transaction is expected to close within a few weeks’ time, subject to certain pre-completion conditions.
LM Wind Power plans to expand and develop the facility over time. The 23 current employees will be retained to help grow the business.
LM Wind Power, which was acquired by GE in April 2017, notes it has a growing presence in the Netherlands: The company has its global management office at World Trade Center, Schiphol, with 44 employees representing 16 nationalities and a research facility in Heerhugowaard with 40 employees representing 14 nationalities.
“The acquisition of the WMC wind turbine blade test facility in Wieringerwerf secures a promising future for the 23 employees and ensures growth and opportunity for this important Dutch facility,” comments Aart van der Pal, chairman of the board of WMC. “We look forward to playing a key role in the future developments of advanced wind turbine rotor blades.”
“The new test facilities will further contribute to LM Wind Power’s research and development capabilities for the design and manufacture of advanced wind turbine blades and other components,” adds Duncan Berry, CEO of LM Wind Power. “We are delighted to retain the talented existing workforce and supplement LM Wind Power and GE’s growing presence in a strategic green industry in the Netherlands. These are valuable, senior, technical jobs, and we provide employment to a significant and increasing number of graduates and post graduates from the best Dutch Universities, including Delft, Twente, Eindhoven and Amsterdam.”
