Construction of the new factory, which will be one of the company’s largest manufacturing facilities in India, has been supported by the company’s growth plans, which predict a capex of more than 100 million euros through 2017, thereby reinforcing Gamesa’s presence in the global wind market.
Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh presided over the inauguration ceremony with Ramesh Kymal, CEO of India, José Antonio Cortajarena, Chief Corporate and General Secretary, Iñaki Murgiondo, Industrial Managing Director, and Enrique Pedrosa, Commercial Managing Director, among other executives, also attending on behalf of Gamesa.
Phase one of the facility is already up and running and is earmarked for the manufacture of blades for the G114-2.0 MW class S turbines, a product custom-configured for India's wind conditions. Phase two, due to come online in the middle of this year, will increase blade production capacity as well as enabling the production of generators and photovoltaic inverters. The factory currently employs 500 people and this is expected to rise to 1,000 within three years.
“Inauguration of this factory fortifies Gamesa's industrial presence in India, a country in which we have cemented our position as the leading OEM, which has made it one of the company's most important markets” said Ramesh Kymal, Gamesa's CEO in India. “We are certain that this new facility will generate wealth via job creation and purchases from local suppliers.”
José Antonio Cortajarena, Gamesa's Chief Corporate Officer, added that the new factory is a milestone which demonstrates the company’s firm commitment to promoting clean sources of energy in India and addressing the population's energy needs in a sustainable manner.
In addition to the new blade facility, Gamesa has another blade plant in Halol (Gujarat), a nacelle factory in Mamandur (Chennai, Tamil Nadu) and a repair centre in Red Hills (Chennai, Tamil Nadu).
Gamesa has maintained a presence in India since 2009 and has been the leading OEM in the country for the last three years, according to MAKE Consultancy, increasing its market share from 25 percent to 34 percent. The company has installed over 3,500 MW of capacity and services a further 3,200 MW in the region, accounting for almost 30 percent of the company's total sales volume.
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