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Vestas return - 200 jobs for Offshore Wind

By: Lewis Holdsworth 05/02/2015 MHI Vestas

General Turbines Windfarms

Over 200 full time jobs are being advertised for positions at MHI Vestas Offshore Wind’s blade production facility on the Isle of Wight, where manufacturing of 80m composite blades for the V164-8.0 MW - the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine will ramp up to serial production.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has commenced recruitment of over 200 skilled jobs at the recently announced blade manufacturing facility on the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of the UK. The new positions have been created in order to fulfill the demand for DONG Energy’s 258 MW Burbo Bank Extension project, off the coast of Liverpool Bay in the UK, as well as potential future offshore projects.

CEO Jens Tommerup said the creation of over 200 skilled jobs underlines MHI Vestas Offshore Wind’s commitment to the UK offshore market.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to announce the commencement of hiring over 200 full time jobs at our manufacturing facility on the Isle of Wight. These new jobs are skilled and form a critical aspect of our manufacturing capability. When serial production begins in May, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will be the only manufacturer producing blades for offshore wind projects in the UK.”

“The 80m blades for the V164-8.0 MW prototype were designed, manufactured and tested at the Isle of Wight facility. We have developed the unique competences and processes necessary to manufacture blades at the centre which makes it an ideal location to ramp up to serial manufacturing.”

UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said:
"We are backing offshore wind because renewable electricity is crucial to improving our energy security, as well as stimulating economic growth and reducing emissions.

“Our long term economic plan to build a more resilient economy has made the UK the world's number one market for offshore wind, attracting investors from all over the world and creating green jobs. Today's commitment from MHI Vestas of 200 new green jobs will lead to blades being mass produced in the UK, bolstering the UK’s expertise in advanced manufacturing.”

Brent Cheshire, DONG Energy's UK Country Chairman said:
“It is very pleasing that the Burbo Bank Extension project can promote local growth and contribute to the development of the industry supply chain. We look forward to continuing to work together with MHI Vestas Offshore Wind in building this project that will be able to supply more than 180,000 UK homes with electricity when completed.”

The decision to manufacture blades on the Isle of Wight was announced in November last year and is the first part of a wider industrial strategy in the UK which is expected to result in up to £200m worth of investment and safeguarding or creating up to 800 jobs.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will lease the production hall at Vestas’ blades technology centre on the Isle of Wight. Serial production of blades will commence in May 2015.

The original "Vestas" factory which was decommissioned in 2009 provoking an outcry by employees and government officials alike, but went on to become the prototyping centre for onshore wind turbine components. Somewhat ironically given Prime Minister David Cameron's rhetoric recently in promising to remove onshore wind subsidies if re-elected, and Secretary of State Eric Pickles actions overriding planning decisions that have granted permission to build onshore projects, the company view at that time was that the closure of the plant had been necessitated by the failure of the UK to provide a stable market for onshore wind turbines, primarily as a result of the difficulty obtaining planning permission for wind farms. At the time of its closure, workers staged an 18-day sit-in to try and save some of the 425 jobs that were lost.

Vestas also promised at that time that it would consider investing in new production facilities in the UK as and when more stable demand for turbines is established.

The Vestas R&D facility on the Isle of Wight was opened in 2011 and was specifically designed to develop large blades for the latest wind turbines. The facility consists of two halls 170m long and 50m wide, one for testing and verification, and one for blade production, which will be leased by MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

Vestas will continue to conduct research and development of blade technology on the Isle of Wight, including the testing and verification of the V164-8.0 MW which is being finalised by Vestas on behalf of MHI Vestas Offshore Wind. The lease of the production hall will have no impact on Vestas employees working in R&D on the site.
Local Initiatives

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and the Isle of Wight Council are working closely together. MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, supported by the council, will run an awareness event early in the week beginning 9th of February 2015, more details of this event will be available on both the MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and Isle of Wight Council’s websites.

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Vestas return - 200 jobs for Offshore Wind

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