Wind turbine production to restart in West Branch

Spurred by federal incentives for renewable energy and predicting growth, a global wind energy company says it will hire “upwards” of 100 employees for its West Branch plant and restart manufacturing in a facility that laid off the last of its assembly workers a decade ago.

Nordex Group will restart production in West Branch in 2025, aiming to begin production of wind turbines in June, according to Jackie Shay, the company’s vice president for people and culture in North America.

“We're thrilled to reengage and expand our production footprint in West Branch, Iowa,” Shay said in a statement. “We've strategically maintained our facility here in anticipation of this growth, and it makes perfect sense to leverage the skilled workforce and strong community partnerships we've established.

“This expansion not only strengthens our North American supply chain but also allows us to capitalize on the tremendous growth of wind energy in the U.S.”

The Nordex Group employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and has production facilities in Germany, Spain, Brazil, Mexico and India, in addition to the United States. It took over ownership of the West Branch facility when it acquired Acciona Windpower in 2016. But by that time, Acciona had ended production there, laying off the last of its assembly staff in March 2013.

Shay said the West Branch site currently employs about 100 people to support other turbine operations in the United States and has served as a warehouse. The site also has been used to train service technicians for tasks such as climbing and rescues.

What it will make

The company will manufacture nacelles, or wind turbine housing, in West Branch for both the current N163 turbine variant and a new product called N169/5.X, which is tailored to the U.S. market.

Production of the N169/5.X turbine is scheduled to start in 2026, Shay said, noting it is not being manufactured elsewhere in the United States. But there are no clients “in particular” that Nordex is restarting the plant to serve.

Shay said Nordex is increasing its manufacturing in the United States because of provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, which went into effect Aug. 16, 2022. The act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, aims to increase domestic energy production and manufacturing and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030.

The act provides for tax credits for clean energy — including wind power — made domestically, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Wind manufacturers may be eligible under the law to receive a tax credit for each blade, nacelle and tower they manufacture on American soil. The law also provides a bonus for clean energy project developers who source their iron, steel and a large percentage of their products from producers in the United States.

Wind energy accounts for about 10 percent of the nation’s power generation. But within Iowa specifically, wind energy powers 62 percent of the net generation, the highest share of any state.

West Branch welcomes workers

West Branch Mayor Roger Laughlin said by the time the plant’s restart is “booted up,” the city will have more than 100 housing units available to accommodate new workers there.

At its peak, the plant under Acciona employed 168 workers.

“We’re really growing,” Laughlin said, noting about 70 housing units are available now.

In a statement in a Nordex news release, Laughlin lauded the “high-quality jobs and increase (in) economic opportunities” the plant will bring to town.

Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Comments: (319) 398-8370; olivia.cohen@thegazette.com