Vestas intends to cease production at three factories

Vestas (Aarhus, Denmark), a wind turbine manufacturer and servicer, intends to cease production at its factories in Lauchhammer, Germany, Viveiro, Spain and Esbjerg, Denmark. According to Vestas, the company sustains a strong European footprint and continues to supply onshore and offshore wind turbine components to customers from 12 sites across Europe. Vestas reportedly provides 19 GW of service in Germany, Spain and Denmark combined.

Vestas’ factory in Lauchhammer, Germany has maintained manufacturing of a limited number of blades for the V117 and V136 turbines and currently employs approximately 460 people. The company says it plans to finalize production in Lauchhammer by the end of 2021, and will explore opportunities to relocate employees currently working in Lauchhammer to other Vestas sites in Germany.

Vestas’ factory in Viveiro, Spain employs approximately 115 people who manufacture generators for the 2 MW onshore platform, as well as control panels for the V164 offshore turbine, for markets outside of Spain. According to Vestas, it is no longer sustainable to produce the 2 MW platform in Viveiro. Vestas expects to finalize production in Viveiro by the end of 2021 and will offer to relocate its employees to other sites in Spain.

Vestas’ factory in Esbjerg, Denmark employs approximately 75 people who manufacture power conversion modules for the V164 and V174 offshore turbines. Vestas says that as demand for these modules shifts to markets outside of Europe, it will conclude production of power conversion modules in Esbjerg during the first half of 2022. Vestas will explore opportunities to relocate employees currently working at the factory in Esbjerg to other Vestas sites in Denmark.

Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, Vestas’ executive vice president and COO, explains, “While Vestas will sustain a strong footprint in Europe across manufacturing and service activities, it’s always hard to make decisions that negatively affect our good, hardworking colleagues at Vestas. I would like to emphasize that we are deeply committed to explore opportunities to relocate our colleagues, who unfortunately will be impacted by the cease of production at our factories in Lauchhammer, Viveiro and Esbjerg.”