Ingeteam To Build Wind & Solar Production Facility in Wisconsin

Ingeteam said it will begin construction of the 100,000-square-foot combined production facility and office complex in April, with completion set for December. The company expects to begin manufacturing operations in January 2011 and will employ about 275 workers by 2015. This will be Ingeteam's first manufacturing facility in the United States.

When completed, the plant will focus primarily on the renewable energy industry, producing Indar wind power generators and Ingeteam converters and solar power inverters for the North American market.

"Milwaukee also has a labor pool experienced in electrical manufacturing. In addition, the area boasts prestigious universities with some of the highest-ranked engineering departments in the country that offer specific courses in renewable energy, which will be very useful when it comes to finding specialized staff," said Aitor Sotes, chief executive officer of Ingeteam Inc., Ingeteam's subsidiary in the United States.

Ingeteam currently has a 12 -15 percent worldwide market share of wind power components. However, Ingeteam has identified the United States as a growth market for wind energy and expects its global market share to rise by having a U.S.-based manufacturing operation to supply the North American market. At full capacity, the Milwaukee plant will supply equipment capable of producing 7,500 megawatts (MW) of electricity each year.

The Milwaukee plant will produce generators and converters for 1.5 MW to 5 MW wind turbines, and solar power inverters that range from 2.5 kilowatt (kW) units for residential use up to 500 kW units for utility-scale installations. Later, Ingeteam plans to add a facility for system testing.