Iowa Wind Turbine Blade Factory Opens

TPI Composites, a provider of turbine blades to the wind power industry, celebrated the opening of its 316,000-square-foot  production facility in Newton, Iowa.

The new plant is expected to employ up to 500 associates, making it a significant provider of renewable energy jobs, which will have a major economic impact in this Midwestern city.

Newton previously served as the headquarters of the Maytag Corporation. In 2006, after an acquisition by Whirlpool, the former Maytag offices and plants in Newton were closed, putting 1,800 people out of work and ending a century-old legacy of washing machine manufacturing. Today, Newton boasts two wind energy firms, and Iowa is one of the leading wind producing states in the country.

"We believe that wind energy offers a promising future and provides an opportunity for long-term economic prosperity in Newton and Jasper County," said Kim Didier, executive director of the Newton Development Corporation. "TPI’s arrival is part of our continuing effort to bring sustainable economic growth to this area."

According to the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. wind industry has raced past the 20,000-megawatt (MW) installed capacity milestone, achieving in two years what had previously taken more than two decades. (The 10,000-MW mark was reached in 2006). Wind now provides enough electricity to serve 5.3 million American homes or power a fleet of more than 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles.

A U.S. Department of Energy study released in May found that wind could provide 20 percent of U.S. electricity by 2030. At that level, wind power would support 500,000 wind jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 140 million vehicles off the road.

The Iowa plant joins TPI’s other production facilities in Warren Rhode Island; Springfield, Ohio; Juarez, Mexico; and Taicang, China.

About TPI Composites

TPI Composites is a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based provider of wind blades for turbine manufacturers. TPI delivers composite solutions through long term partnerships with the industry’s leading manufacturers including G.E. Energy and Mitsubishi. The company and its 2,000 employees are also innovators in the transportation and military vehicle markets. TPI operates factories throughout the U.S., Mexico and China.