U.S.-based blade manufacturer TPI Composites Inc. has announced that it is reopening its plant in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to provide blades to the North American wind market.
The Juarez factory was formerly operated as a joint venture between TPI and Mitsubishi Power Systems under the name of VienTek. TPI purchased the assets of the joint venture at the end of 2012, and the facility is beginning operations now to serve multiple customers as a 100%-owned TPI facility.
"TPI is very pleased to be reopening our Mexico operation to continue to drive down the cost of wind energy and to gain market share in the U.S. and Mexico," says Steve Lockard, president and CEO of TPI Composites. "It will allow us to grow our business with current customers and to support new customers in the region."
Wayne Monie, TPI's chief operating officer, adds, "We launched VienTek in 2002 and operated successfully for more than 10 years, providing many thousands of highly reliable blades to the U.S. market. The skills and the blade manufacturing knowledge of the roughly 600 former employees that we are rehiring will be fully utilized during the restart."
TPI currently operates regional wind blade factories in the U.S., China and Turkey. "Our Newton, Iowa, operation will continue to effectively serve primarily the midwestern U.S. market while the Mexico plant's location is ideally situated to deliver blades by truck and rail to the western U.S. and Mexico markets," explains Lockard.
