In March 2009, LM Glasfiber announced the construction of its third Chinese wind turbine blade facility in Qin Huang Dao in the province of Heibei. This facility had a planned capacity of three production lines, but due to strong customer growth and a positive outlook for the Chinese wind market, LM Glasfiber will add another three production lines, the company says.

This second phase will thus double the wind turbine blade production capacity and bring the total number of employees to approximately 640. The first wind turbine blade workshop will produce its first blades in November and the extension is expected to be commissioned in Q3, 2010.

“China is a strategically important market for LM Glasfiber. Since we opened our first production unit in China 8 years ago, we have seen tremendous growth and expanded our local footprint several times already in Tianjin and Urumqi. Our decision to extend our latest unit even before we have started producing blades in the first workshop shows our firm commitment to and belief in the Chinese market,” says Ian Telford, VP Sales and Marketing.

The wind turbine blade capacity expansion in Qin Huang Dao is based on a number of contracts signed with both Chinese and international wind turbine manufacturers who are expanding their business in the growing Chinese market.

Telford believes that LM Glasfiber’s strength in profile design for extra energy production and expertise in producing longer wind turbine blades will increase their business with the growing number of sophisticated Asian wind turbine manufacturers.