Denmark-based Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, reported it returned to profitablity for 2006.
The company reported a profit of 201 million euros (US$267.4 million) compared with a 2005 loss of 116 million euros before interest and taxes.
Sales rose 7.5% to 3.85 billion euros (US$5.1 billion) in 2006, but component shortages continued to hamper production. It expects to face long, expensive key component delivery times this year, and said that, although suppliers are expanding capacity, it will take a few years for components to be able to keep pace with demand.
Vestas forecasts sales of about 4.5 billion euros and a margin of 7-9% for 2007.
Shares in Vestas have climbed over 20% this year. It has a market share of 28%, unchanged from 2005 and is targeting 35% this year.
Vestas also announced it would establish a blade production facility in the Great Western Industrial Park in Windsor, Colorado.
Construction will begin this spring, with the start of production planned for early 2008. The plant will have a capacity of approximately 1,200 blades per year.