May 31 2008
Brad Foote Gear Works, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Broadwind Energy, Inc., announced today it has purchased 14 additional advanced gear manufacturing systems from Hofler Company, Ettlingen Germany.
Brad Foote's total investment exceeds $30 million and brings the number of Hofler machines the company owns to 29. With the new equipment, Brad Foote's annual production will grow from the current equivalent of 2,000 MW of installed wind turbine capacity to more than 5,000 MW.
Brad Foote is the largest producer of wind turbine gears in North America. The new grinding/gashing machines, which are used in manufacturing wind turbine gear systems, will be installed in its two manufacturing facilities in Cicero, Ill. According to Hofler, Brad Foote now has the largest worldwide concentration of Hofler wind turbine gear manufacturing equipment at any one site.
"This capital expansion demonstrates Broadwind's increasing commitment to supporting wind development growth in the North American market," said Broadwind CEO J. Cameron Drecoll. "It is Broadwind's intent to be ahead of the growth curve and solidify the supply chain for our wind energy customers."
Brad Foote also has purchased the largest Hofler 4-meter internal/external hobber/gasher that Hofler has ever produced.
"Brad Foote is now our largest wind turbine gearing system customer and has every model of Hofler grinders from 400 to 4,000 millimeters," said Hofler President Harald Jung. "We are very impressed with Brad Foote's growth and overwhelming prominence in the North American wind turbine gear industry, and we are thankful to be part of the company's ongoing success."
"Hofler has been a good partner since Brad Foote entered the wind market," said Drecoll. "Their machines have met our needs and exceeded the ever-increasing quality requirements of this demanding application."