MANISTEE – Gov. Jennifer Granholm helped Mariah Power open its first high-volume manufacturing plant in Manistee. The retrofitted auto parts plant will employ up to 120 former auto workers in a rural region of Michigan best known for its Indian casino.

The manufacturing site begins operations with 30 new employees and will

produce 100 Windspire wind turbines per month with the number potentially

growing to 1,000 Windspires a month. The 30,000 square-foot facility will

enhance the precision and quality control of the manufacturing process.

Materials for the Windspire, such as steel and aluminum, will be supplied

by local Michigan companies, exactly the kind of success story Granholm hopes to trumpet more frequently as Michigan transforms from an auto-dependent state.

“As we continue our efforts to diversify and grow our state’s economy,

we are proud to celebrate the opening of the Windspire manufacturing

facility and the new energy jobs this will create in northern Michigan,”

Granholm said. “This investment puts us at the

forefront in the production of renewable energy to end U.S. dependence on

foreign oil and fossil fuels.”

The Mariah technology, built by MasTech Manufacturing Inc., is 98 percent sourced in Michigan, said Mariah CEO Mike Hess.

“Opening our first large-scale production site in Manistee gives us the

capabilities to take the Windspire technology to the next level,” said Hess. “The experience of the people here and the technology we have in place at MasTech will make a product that is best in class.”

So far, the project has generated 15 jobs. Hess said he expects to reach full volume by July and produce 300 units each month. Mariah has an order backlog of six to nine months and that doesn�??t even include the recent 600 unit order the company received from customers in France.

�??Our long term strategy is to provide a low-cost wind appliance that people can use,�?� he said. �??We�??ve proven it works. We�??re now producing it in Manistee, where the costs are as low as if we made them in China, but the quality means we have lower liability problems.�?�

Hess said Mariah now is going after a $2 million low interest loan this summer to expand the plant in 2010 to produce up to 1000 Windspires each month.�?�

The Windspire, the first product from Mariah Power, is a small-scale

vertical axis wind turbine designed to power homes or businesses. Standing

just 30 feet tall, Windspire features a plug ‘n produce design and

connects directly to the power supply of the building, offsetting

electricity use and reducing energy costs. The unit’s sleek and

aesthetically pleasing design allows it to blend in well with a variety of

settings, making it an ideal renewable energy option for home and business

owners.

A typical house consumes 8760 kilowatt hours a year. The least expensive Windspire will generate about 2500 kilowatt hours each year of electricity and sell for about $6,500, giving it a 10 year payback. A 3 kilowatt unit, which sells for about $15,000, would produce about 100 percent of a homeowners electricity needs.

For more information, click on MariahPower.Com

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