LM Glasfiber announces expansion in China

LM Glasfiber, the world’s leading independent manufacturer of blades for wind turbines, announced plans to further expand its operations in China. In March 2009, the company announced the construction of its third Chinese facility in Qin Huang Dao in the province of Heibei.

This facility had a planned capacity of three production lines, but due to strong customer growth and a positive outlook for the Chinese wind power market, LM Glasfiber will add another three production lines. This second phase will thus double the production capacity and bring the total number of employees to approx. 640. The first blade workshop will produce its first blades in November (next month) and the extension is expected to be commissioned in Q3, 2010.

“China is a strategically important market for LM Glasfiber. Since we opened our first production unit in China eight years ago, we have seen tremendous growth and expanded our local footprint several times already in Tianjin and Urumqi. Our decision to extend our latest unit even before we have started producing blades in the first workshop shows our firm commitment to and belief in the Chinese market,” said Ian Telford, VP Sales and Marketing, who announced the plans at the opening of the largest international wind energy industry event in Asia, China Windpower.

The capacity expansion in Qin Huang Dao is based on a number of firm contracts signed with both Chinese and international wind turbine manufacturers who are expanding their business in the growing Chinese market. Telford believes that LM Glasfiber’s strength in profile design for extra energy production and expertise in producing longer blades will increase their business with the growing number of sophisticated Asian wind turbine manufacturers.

www.lmglasfiber.com