EATON RAPIDS – A Finnish-based wind power manufacturer will double its corporate presence in Michigan, Governor Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday during her trade mission to Sweden.
URV USA has announced it will double the size of its Eaton Rapids plant that creates wind turbine castings from the current 40,000 metric ton facility to 80,000 metric tons. That would double the number of jobs in the plant by 2014 to 276 people.
And Granholm said if the U.S. Department of Energy provides funding, the foundry could double again to 160,000 metric tons. That would add another 550 jobs and make the foundry the largest of its type in the world.
“This new technology has the potential to revolutionize the way wind turbines are made, and would put URV USA on the forefront of wind technology, with the potential to create even more jobs in Michigan,” Granholm said.
While based in Finland, the company has operations in Sweden. Michigan Economic Development Corporation President Greg Main will visit the company’s Swedish facility in Karlstad before returning to the United States.
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