PRESS PACKET
NORDEX USA, INC.
NACELLE ASSEMBLY PLANT
GRAND OPENING
October 29, 2010
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Nordex Plant in Jonesboro, AR
Location
3100 Nordex Drive
Craighead Technology Park
Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401
Product
• N90 and N100 2.5 MW turbines — nacelle assembly
• 300 turbines, or 750 MW, to be produced annually at full
capacity
• About 700 American homes can be powered by one
Nordex turbine
Investment
• Estimated $100 million total investment
• $40 million toward nacelle assembly plant
• $60 million toward rotor blade manufacturing facility at
later date
Nacelle Facility
• On 187 acres in Craighead Technology Park
• 115,000 square feet of production space
• 35,000 square feet of office space
• 10,000 square feet for Training Academy
Timeline
• October 2008: Jonesboro site selection announced
• July 2009: Ground broken on nacelle assembly plant
• September 11, 2009: Groundbreaking ceremony
• October 4, 2010: Nacelle assembly production started
• 2010/2011: Ramp up to full capacity
Jobs Creation in Jonesboro
• Nordex will hire and train up to 700 people by 2014
• 54 hires as of October 2010, including first production crew
• Close to 70 hires in Jonesboro and 175 hires nationally by end of 2010
• Extensive training program for first production crew in Germany
• On-site Training Academy to train Nordex-specific skills
• Partner program with Arkansas State University to train “mechatronics” – mechanical and technical
skills
• Job listings at www.nordex-online.com; Jobs Email: JobsUSA@nordex-online.com
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Nordex at a Glance
Nordex USA
Hewitt, MN
Glenmore, WI
With corporate headquarters in
Chicago, Illinois and manufacturing
Krayn, PA
Chicago, IL
Weld County, CO
Garret County, MD
in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Nordex is
positioned to be one of the leading
domestic producers of some of the
Palm Springs, CA
Jonesboro, AR
most powerful and reliable utilityscale wind turbines in the US
Headquarters
market. The US is one of the
Production Facility
largest wind energy markets
Installation
globally and boasts the greatest
wind resources in the world. The
Jonesboro manufacturing plant is a
key pillar in the company’s strategy to generate 20% of global revenue in the US, increase its US market
share five-fold and localize its supply chain by 80% or more.
Nordex has completed and planned installations in several states, including Minnesota, Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin, Maryland and Colorado. The Arkansas facility will fill all future orders, shipping turbines to wind
farms around the country.
Founded in 1985, Nordex SE is parent company of Nordex USA and
is a pioneer in wind energy. The company develops and produces
modern wind turbines and supplies technical solutions for all
aspects of wind power. Headquartered in Hamburg and Rostock,
Germany, Nordex SE is a global player with manufacturing facilities
in Germany, China and in the US. It has offices in 18 countries and employs about 2,400 people
worldwide. Nordex has long been focused on large-scale, powerful turbines and has driven innovation in
this class. With its 2.5 MW turbine, Nordex was the first to bring a turbine of this size (> 2 MW) to market
and holds the longest track record for reliability in this multi-megawatt class. The new Gamma generation
of the 2.5 MW product family (N80/2500, N90/2500, N100/2500) combines latest research and
development with technical know-how and experience from a decade of operation to meet the latest
market requirements.
Nordex SE
Today, Nordex has installed more than 4,200 turbines with an aggregate capacity of around 6,000 MW
worldwide. The company has a current production capacity of 2,500 MW/year in Germany, 400 MW/year
in China and 750 MW/year in the US. In 2009, Nordex achieved € 1,183 million in sales.
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Management
Thomas Richterich
Nordex SE
CEO
Thomas Richterich has been Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
of Nordex SE since 2005.
Richterich has worked in the manufacturing industry for 20 years.
He has been with Nordex since 2002, serving as Chief Financial
Officer (2002–2007) and holding positions on the Management
Board before taking his current position.
Previously, he was Director and Head of Controlling at Babcock
Borsig AG (2000–2002), and in 2002 also served as Commercial
Director at Babcock Borsig Power GmbH. From 1998–2000, he
served as Commercial Director at Ferrostaal Industrial Plant
Services GmbH, and in 1997 he headed Controlling at Ferrostaal
AG. Richterich began his professional career at MAN
Gutehoffnungshuette AG (1990–1997), holding various
management positions during his tenure, including Head of
Controlling.
With deep experience in the wind industry, Richterich is a member
of the board of the Power Systems Association within the Verband
Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA), as well as a board
member of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
Ralf Sigrist
Nordex USA
President & CEO
Sigrist has been with Nordex since 2001, first as General Counsel
as Head of the Group’s Legal Department. In this role, Sigrist was
charged with building the department and negotiating supplier and
customer contracts. In 2004, he also became Head of Human
Resources. His legal expertise and management experience have
been invaluable assets in leading the growth of the Nordex Group
over the years, expanding local operations in various countries and
continuously expanding the supply chain.
Sigrist began his career as in-house counsel in the legal
department of Babcock Borsig AG, an international industry
conglomerate, during which he supported the Nordex IPO. He has
since worked in the power and wind industries.
Sigrist graduated from the universities of Tübingen and Munich in
Germany with a degree in law and admittance to the German bar
and the university of Aix-en-Provence in France with a Masters in
international law. He is also a graduate of the executive education
Advanced Management Program at the Wharton School.
Born in Pforzheim, Germany, Sigrist currently resides outside of
Chicago, Illinois, where Nordex USA is headquartered. He is
married and has two children.
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Management
Joe Brenner
Nordex USA
VP Production
Joe Brenner was named Vice President of Production at Nordex
USA in 2008.
In this role, Brenner is charged with overseeing the plant in
Jonesboro. He is heavily involved in the planning stages of the
plant and setting up the critical components for production.
As a mechanical engineer, Brenner began his career in his family’s
contract manufacturing business where he worked from 1980 to
2005. He held positions as Plant Manager, Director of Engineering,
Vice President Operations & Business Development, and Interim
President & CEO. In 2005, he entered the wind energy industry,
holding director positions in operations, manufacturing and
purchasing for Gamesa Wind.
Brenner holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel
University in Philadelphia.
Brenner has relocated to Jonesboro from Pennsylvania. He is
married with two children.
William Pixley
Nordex USA
Nacelle Production Manager
Bill Pixley was named Nacelle Production Manager for Nordex USA
in January 2010.
Bill is responsible for the daily production operations at the Nordex
wind turbine plant in Jonesboro, and has been deeply involved in
the production process development and set-up at plant.
Prior to joining Nordex USA, Bill spent 25 years in operations and
quality management in a variety of industries, including
transportation, heavy equipment, automotive, and recreational
vehicles. Bill’s previous assignments have included Peterbilt Motors
Co., General Motors Corp., SST Truck Co. (International Truck),
and North American Bus Industries. In these assignments he has
served as General Manager, Director of Quality, Plant Manager, and
Plant Superintendent, as well as in various special project roles.
Bill holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from
Kennedy Western in Boise, Idaho. He relocated to the Jonesboro
area from Texas, and is married with one daughter.
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Press Release
Nordex opens for business in Arkansas with grand opening of wind turbine plant
Chicago, Illinois/Jonesboro, Arkansas, October 29,
2010. Nordex USA celebrated the official opening of its flagship
wind turbine manufacturing plant in the US today. Representing
a $40 million investment, the 150,000 square foot plant is one
of the most modern production facilities in the wind industry,
optimized for lean flow and reduced lead times for customers. It
positions Nordex as a domestic manufacturer of the highest
caliber in one of the biggest wind energy markets in the world.
“There’s no way around it,” said Thomas Richterich, CEO of
parent company Nordex SE. “To play in the US wind market,
you need a Made-in-the-USA strategy. Our turbines are some
of the most powerful and reliable on the global market, and
now we can get them to US wind farms quickly and costeffectively.”
Governor Mike Beebe and Arkansas senior senator, Blanche
Lincoln, joined with state and community leaders for the event,
following a tour of the plant. The total planned investment for
the site is $100 million, with further manufacturing capacity to
be added in a second phase in line with market conditions.
The Nordex plant will build nacelles for 2.5 megawatt turbines
that belong to Nordex’s new third generation efficiency class –
the Gamma generation. Production began earlier this month,
and the first assembled nacelle was on display. Nacelles house
the engine and other key turbine components and sit high atop
the turbine tower. The assembly time for a nacelle is about two
weeks, and the Nordex plant has the capacity to produce 300
per year. One Nordex turbine can power about 700 American
homes.
“Energy is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today,
including the United States” said Ralf Sigrist, President and CEO
of Nordex USA. “These turbines will help America secure a new
domestic energy supply without compromising national security
or the environment.”
Since breaking ground on the plant last September, Nordex has
hired 54 employees, about 80% locals, including the first
production crew. Job functions range from production assembly,
process engineering, supply chain management, facilities
management, training, quality assurance, safety, administration
and management.
Nordex plans to grow its ranks to nearly 70 in Jonesboro and
175 nationally by the end of 2010. It has the potential to create
a total of 700 jobs in Jonesboro and 1,000 nationally over the
next four years, not including indirect jobs created by suppliers
and service providers. Earlier this year, steel components
manufacturer, Beckmann Volmer announced it would build a
$10 million dollar factory and employ 500 in neighboring
Osceola to supply parts to Nordex. Part of Nordex’s strategy is
to make its supply chain 80% domestic within the next nine
months.
Governor Mike Beebe, who has led Arkansas’s bid to become a
wind turbine manufacturing hub, addressed the audience. “The
clean-energy sector has great potential for creating high-quality
jobs in Arkansas and across the United States,” he said.
“Nordex has recognized that Arkansas has the right location and
workforce to produce American-made components for the
North American wind industry.”
The Jonesboro production crew is undergoing extensive
practical training. The team spent 10 weeks at Nordex’s
German factory in Rostock, and now their German counterparts
have set up residence in Jonesboro for four months to work
side-by-side with the crew on their home turf. Jonesboro crew
members spoke about their experiences so far at the
ceremony. “When Nordex first announced they were coming to
Jonesboro two years ago,” said Brad Scott, “I started submitting
resumes. I pursued the opportunity for two years, and am
thrilled to be a part of the team today.”
Senator Lincoln also shared remarks: “I am proud that Nordex
is helping make Arkansas a leader in wind manufacturing, and
they chose well in selecting Jonesboro,” she said. “I know that
the hardworking people of this community are ready to get to
work, and I look forward to the job creation and economic
growth that are sure to result from Nordex’s investment.”
Nordex has also built a 10,000 square foot training academy on
site, and has a partnership in place with the Arkansas State
University to teach “mechatronic” skills, which combine
mechanical and electrical know-how and are specific to windturbine manufacturing. “We’re making a long-term investment
in our workforce,” said Joe Brenner, VP of Production. “These
are not just jobs, they are careers.”
“Arkansas has become a success story for the wind industry,”
said Ralf Sigrist in a keynote address that stressed the huge
potential for wind in the US – home to the best wind resources
in the world. “Now, we have to water what we’ve planted. We
have to ensure that the industry we have all worked so hard to
establish takes firm root in the national market via strong,
sound renewable energy policies. Our success is your success,”
he continued, “and with rising demand for energy around the
corner, the only thing that can get in our way is shortsightedness.”
Nordex has both completed and planned installations in several
states, including Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Maryland
and Colorado. The Arkansas facility will fill all future orders,
shipping turbines to wind farms around the country.
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Press Release
Nordex begins production
at Arkansas plant
Jonesboro, October 4, 2010.
Today marks the official start
of production at Nordex’s
newly built wind turbine
manufacturing plant in
Jonesboro, Arkansas. The
plant’s first production crew
will go to work this morning
assembling a wind turbine
nacelle, which houses the
engine and other key
components and sits high
atop the turbine tower.
“Two years ago, we
announced our intention to
make Nordex wind turbines in
the US, for the US,” said Ralf
Sigrist, President and CEO of
Nordex USA, Inc. “Today we’re putting our hands to the metal and doing it. We hope Congress will do the
same,” he added, “by finally passing meaningful renewable energy legislation.”
The first Jonesboro production crew, hired earlier this year, just completed a 10-week intensive training
program at Nordex’s flagship plant in Rostock, Germany. Training will continue during the early phase of
production, with the team’s German counterparts now taking up residence in Jonesboro for several
months to work alongside their new colleagues.
“There’s no way to do this without international exchange,” said Joe Brenner, Vice President of Production
for Nordex. “Wind energy has tremendous potential in the US, but it’s about more than just creating green
jobs. We have to transfer expertise in order to build a wind industry workforce. Nordex is investing in such
a workforce and bringing the needed skills to America.”
Nordex broke ground on its manufacturing plant last September, completing construction in July of this
year. The company has hired 150 employees in the US to date, including 42 in Jonesboro, and has plans
to employ up to 1000 nationally over four to five years. About 80% of the workforce in Jonesboro are
locals. Construction on a second facility for assembling rotor blades is also planned for the future.
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Op Ed
The Myth of Cheap Fossil Fuels – A Roadblock for Renewable Energy
By Ralf Sigrist, Nordex USA
|
August 20, 2010
Recently, when Senator Harry Reid put forth a "spill bill"
rather than an energy bill, my theory that the energy
debate in this country has been framed upside down
seemed to be confirmed.
Arguments for renewable energy legislation have mixed
messages on jobs creation with those of climate change,
national security, energy independence and environmental
disaster. After two years of debate and millions spent in
lobbying, no one has been persuaded.
Why? Because clean energy got stuck on the wrong side of
the cost debate. Guardians of the carbon economy have
promoted the axiom that traditional energy is cheap,
renewable energy is expensive, and you can’t replace cheap
with expensive, especially by way of the taxpayer. That’s
the kind of flawed thinking that could allow Senate
Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s spokesperson to say
“Republicans are more than happy to protect Americans
from a job-killing national energy tax," in reference to cap
and trade.
“Keep it cheap” is a winning argument, but it’s dead wrong.
It appeals to today’s strained pocketbooks while
jeopardizing tomorrow’s economic footing. The truth is that
traditional energy costs us dearly and is only artificially
cheap. In contrast, wind energy is already cost-competitive
in many locations in North America. If meaningfully
integrated into the U.S. energy portfolio, it can help build a
more stable, long-term energy supply based on a
predictable pricing model.
But the public doesn’t feel the high costs of fossil fuels, and
therein lies the public perception problem for renewable
energy. In the public mind, money paid at the gas pump
and to utilities reflects the true price of energy set by what’s
assumed to be a free market. In fact, the federal
government pours billions of dollars annually into fossil
fuels, grossly distorting the energy market.
This framework is so deeply imbedded into our historicallegal energy structure that it is imperceptible to consumers
and industry. We just don’t see it, feel it or even know
about it, but it’s right there under our feet, holding up the
entire foundation of our economy. That foundation is
beginning to crack. We need to invest in a new foundation
now, but our Congressional leaders have lacked the resolve
to do this, opting instead to perpetuate the cheap fuel myth.
The hidden costs of fossil fuels are three layers deep. They
include current costs, future costs and socio-environmental
costs. Let’s start with current costs. The Environmental Law
Institute has calculated $70 billion in subsidies for fossil
fuels in the period of 2002-2008, in
the form of tax breaks, direct spending and even health care
costs, like the treatment of black lung disease for coal
miners. If those subsidies were to vanish, shock waves
would surely shake the nation out of its energy apathy, and
we would understand the value of a kilowatt-hour.
Renewable alternatives like wind would suddenly look like a
bargain deal.
Then there’s the problem of the future. Artificially low as
they are, traditional energy costs will rise due to tighter
supply, challenges in exploration and extraction and
regulation. Today’s slump in energy prices, stemming from
the global recession and relaxed demand, is a temporary
mirage. No one, however, can predict the next debilitating
price spike or even say what our favorite fuels will cost in
20-30 years. This veil of uncertainty exposes the economy
to great risk. In contrast, wind is predictable, allowing prices
to be locked-in for up to 25 years.
The perception of cheap fuel is further perpetuated by the
fact that taxpayers and society-at-large are unknowingly
underwriting the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, and I’m
not even talking about climate change. To some extent, the
Gulf has brought this reality to light, but I fear it
overshadows the everyday, imperceptible damage still off
the radar. For example, putting hefty carbon emissions
aside, the coal production lifecycle makes a toxic mess of
our water and air. But cleaning up after coal would be the
end of cheap electricity.
With good intentions, the renewable energy camp has tried
to win over the nation with the promise of millions of new
jobs. I do believe wholeheartedly in the economic power of
renewable energy. And how could I otherwise, since we are
investing $100 million in a wind turbine manufacturing plant
in Arkansas. We’ve hired 130 people nationwide in the past
two years, and have plans to grow our operations to over
1,000 employees by 2014. In addition, we have attracted
other suppliers and contractors who are creating more jobs
in the hundreds.
But the promise of jobs cannot by itself overcome the main
roadblock to progress – the false perception of cheap fuel.
Renewable energy has to get on the right side of the cost
debate if lawmakers are to support investing political capital
in it. We need a widespread shift in public thinking in order
to build a real, long-term energy strategy for this country.
Ralf Sigrist is President and CEO of Nordex USA Inc. a
leading wind turbine manufacturer headquartered in Chicago
with a manufacturing plant in Jonesboro, Arkansas
The information and views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of RenewableEnergyWorld.com
or the companies that advertise on its Web site and other publications.
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/08/the-myth-of-cheap-fossil-fuels-a-roadblock-for-renewable-energy
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Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com
Contacts
Nordex
US Locations
Nordex USA, Inc. Headquarters
300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500
Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA
T +1 312 386 4100
Jonesboro Office
5501 Krueger Drive
Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401, USA
T +1 870 972 5227
US Career Inquiries
E JobsUSA@nordex-online.com
See available job opportunities at http://www.nordex-online.com
Media Inquiries
For the US
Felice Ahn
CNC - Communications & Network Consulting (US) Inc.
T +1 212 207 3182
F +1 212 207 3548
M +1 917 916 6468
E Felice.Ahn@cnc-communications.com
For Nordex SE
Ralf Peters
Head of Corporate Communications
T +49 40 300 30 1522
F +49 40 300 30 1333
E RPeters@nordex-online.com
Images
High Resolution
Downloads
For media use only
Members of the media may download images from
www.nordexjonesboro.com/media
Nordex USA, Inc. • 300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 1500 • Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA • 312 386 4100 • www.nordex-online.com