November 27, 2018

Lindoe, Denmark

To keep pace with growing demand for offshore wind turbines, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will expand staff and increase production capacity at its Lindoe nacelle factory on Fyn.

With the offshore wind business booming across Europe and expanding into new markets around the world, MHI Vestas announced today that the company will immediately begin recruiting 50 new employees at its nacelle factory at LINDOE port of ODENSE on Fyn.

The hiring ramp-up, which includes production line workers and engineers, along with notable new efficiency measures inside the factory, will serve to increase annual production at the facility.

"In addition to the recruitment of 50 new employees, we are implementing new testing schemes at the plant that are designed to increase the rate of production as well as improve the quality of the assembled nacelle,” said MHI Vestas VP of Nacelles, Claus Ungstrup. “This next phase of production will allow us to meet demand and do so more efficiently."

In addition to additional staff and a new testing regime, the expansion plans also include an additional 10,000 sq. meters of factory space, and 27,000 sq. meters of storage space for completed nacelles, effectively doubling the company’s physical footprint at Lindoe. The company also announced that it has extended its lease agreement with the port to 8 years.

MHI Vestas Chief Manufacturing Officer, Robert Borin, said, “Offshore wind is in the midst of explosive growth around the world with governments from Taiwan, the US, Japan, and many others declaring an appetite for more offshore wind. Despite the complexity this brings, we are unwavering in our commitment to the highest standards of excellence in our manufacturing business and this new phase at Lindoe is a testimony to that commitment.”

The news comes against the backdrop of a sweeping series of port upgrades already underway at Lindoe, including building improvements, increased land use, and preparations for more comprehensive usage of the port facilities to serve the offshore wind industry.

LINDOE port of ODENSE A/S CEO, Carsten Aa, said, “Our ambitious goals for the development of Lindoe and the matching goals for high standards in manufacturing with MHI Vestas go very well together. We have seen an early and focused start with assembly of the nacelle prototype turn into a strong and committed presence at Lindoe, creating value for the port and for the wind cluster companies.”

The cooperation between LINDOE port of ODENSE and partners such as MHI Vestas in recent years has provided a strong boost to the local economy with hundreds of highly skilled, clean energy manufacturing jobs coming into the region.

Peter Rahbæk Juel, Vice Chairman at LINDOE port of ODENSE A/S and Mayor of Odense: “I am more than pleased to see that our strong investments in the port facilities now turn into job creation. The presence of MHI Vestas at Lindoe is of high value to both Funen and Odense and has already directly created more than 500 jobs, and even more jobs with sub suppliers and local businesses in the area. We will continue to invest in strong businesses and in job creation – and in fruitful collaboration with MHI Vestas.”

The growing collaboration between MHI Vestas and LINDOE port of ODENSE ensures that Denmark will continue to play a prominent role in offshore wind technology and manufacturing even as the industry becomes increasingly global.

About MHI Vestas Offshore Wind

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is a joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems A/S 50% and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) 50%. The company’s focus is to design, manufacture, install and service wind turbines for the offshore wind industry. The company aims to create sustainable value through offshore wind power by driving capital and operating savings and increasing the power output of wind turbines. An innovative force in offshore wind since its inception in 2014, the company is guided by its founding principles of collaboration, trust, technology and commitment. For more information, see mhivestasoffshore.com or follow @MHIVestas on Twitter.