Adjusting its manufacturing footprint to regional demand, Vestas has announced it is ceasing production at its assembly factory in León, Spain.
According to the wind turbine manufacturer, recent market developments have seen a decreasing demand for the 2 MW turbine platform in Europe, while demand for the 4 MW platform in the region can be met by less capacity than currently provided by nacelle factories in Europe and other regions in which Vestas has recently established production capacity.
The closure will affect all of the factory’s 362 employees. As per Spanish law, Vestas will now initiate negotiations with local works councils for the employees. Vestas is exploring opportunities to relocate employees from León to other Vestas manufacturing and service sites in Spain, as well as opportunities outside of Vestas through an outplacement plan. The negotiations are expected to be finalized within 30 days from commencement, as prescribed by Spanish law.
Vestas, whose Mediterranean headquarters are in Madrid, notes that Spain remains a key market for the company. As of June 30, Vestas has more than 4 GW of installed turbines and 6 GW under service. The company also has a generator factory in Viviero and a blade factory in Daimiel, where Vestas will set up the production of blades for the V150-4.2 MW turbine.
