LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, has revealed plans to acquire the WMC test facilities in Wieringerwerf, the Netherlands.
The facility will provide rotor hub testing for new GE turbines and also continue to offer blade and other testing, digital tools, research and similar services to the wider wind industry in the Netherlands and elsewhere.
LM Wind Power plans to expand and develop the facility over time. The 23 current employees comprise highly-qualified experts in composites and rotor blade testing which will be retained to help grow the business, the company said.
“The acquisition of the WMC wind turbine blade test facility in Wieringerwerf secures a promising future for the 23 employees and ensures growth and opportunity for this important Dutch facility. We look forward to playing a key role in the future developments of advanced wind turbine rotor blades,” Aart van der Pal, Chairman of the Board of WMC, said.
The transaction is expected to close within a few weeks’ time subject to certain pre-completion conditions, LM Wind Power said.
“The new test facilities will further contribute to LM Wind Power’s research and development capabilities for the design and manufacture of advanced wind turbine blades and other components,” said Duncan Berry CEO, LM Wind Power.
“We are delighted to retain the talented existing workforce and supplement LM Wind Power and GE’s growing presence in a strategic green industry in the Netherlands. These are valuable, senior, technical jobs and we provide employment to a significant and increasing number of graduates and post graduates from the best Dutch Universities including Delft, Twente, Eindhoven and Amsterdam.”