GAMESA WILL BRING JOBS AND WIND POWER TO AREA

EBENSBURG, Jan. 14 – Cambria County Business Park will serve as the base of U.S. manufacturing operations for Gamesa Corp., the world’s second-largest wind energy producer, according to state Sen. John N. Wozniak. 

Wozniak  joined Gov. Ed Rendell and local and state officials Friday at the Business Park for this economic development announcement.

            “Hosting Gamesa’s manufacturing facility here means two great things for the region: job creation and wind power,” Wozniak said. “The new facility will employ as many as 500 workers for construction and operations, and more than 200 workers in permanent manufacturing positions -– and will advance Pennsylvania’s standing as one of the top ‘energy innovator’ states.”

             Gamesa Corp., headquartered in Vitoria, Spain, is the only wind-energy producer in the world to handle both the manufacturing of wind-energy units and the development of entire wind farms.

          The company already has agreed to set up U.S. headquarters and East Coast development offices in Philadelphia. Gamesa’s Cambria County manufacturing facility will produce high-tech wind-turbine generator blades in the Business Park’s new South Park Complex.

The Governor’s Action Team (GAT), under the direction of Gov. Ed Rendell and Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Yablonsky, worked with Gamesa to provide a DCED financial package totaling $9.31 million. This includes an

Infrastructure Development Program Grant of $1.25 million; an Opportunity Grant of $650,000; Job Creation Tax Credits totaling $1.17 million; a loan of $5.85 million through the Citizens Job Bank Program; and $390,000 in Customized Job Training Funds.

 “Gamesa has invested more than $40 million in Pennsylvania, with this new manufacturing plant and U.S. headquarters,” Wozniak said. “As we watch Gamesa’s operations grow in Pennsylvania, we will see first-hand how our investments in wind power and other alternative energy sources can preserve the environment and fuel the economy at the same time,” Wozniak said.

            Pennsylvania currently leads the East Coast in wind-farm production, with a capacity to generate 129 megawatts, enough energy to power almost 45,000 homes. Another 49 megawatts of capacity will be available within the next year.
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