With the arrival of a second blade mould at its Isle of Wight factory, MHI Vestas hopes to increase production at the site from as early as January 2019. The company’s vice-president of blades, Bo Jensen, said: “This expansion effort is one of the most ambitious blade initiatives we have ever undertaken (
www.mhivestasoffshore.com).
“In close co-operation with the Isle of Wight Council, Isle of Wight College and Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, our training and certification programmes are paving the way for the next generation of offshore wind specialists.
“This development of ‘green energy’ manufacturing skills will not only benefit MHI Vestas but will also serve to elevate the regional composites industry as well.”
Julian Brown, MHI Vestas UK country manager, said: “Among all the uncertainty these days, it’s quite a remarkable image: a massive blade mould comes into the UK with hundreds of new employees readying themselves for years of serial production.
"It’s offshore wind at its finest, actually — large-scale manufacturing, sustainable jobs, considerable economic benefit to local communities, and a ‘green energy’ source driving the UK towards a carbon-free future.”
Claire Perry, the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, said: “The UK is the global home of offshore wind, housing the world’s largest offshore wind farm, and over 6% of our home-grown electricity comes from clean wind power.
"MHI Vestas is contributing to this success story, creating hundreds of new skilled jobs and driving regional growth, with £42 million of additional economic benefit expected.”