Around 1,000 workers at a Brazilian turbine blade factory owned by LM Wind Power face losing their jobs after the GE Vernova subsidiary decided to end production there. “Due to declining demand in the Latin American market, our blade factory in Suape, Brazil, will cease operations,” an LM Wind Power spokesperson told Recharge.
Around 1,000 workers at a Brazilian turbine blade factory owned by LM Wind Power face losing their jobs after the GE Vernova subsidiary decided to end production there. “Due to declining demand in the Latin American market, our blade factory in Suape, Brazil, will cease operations,” an LM Wind Power spokesperson told Recharge.
LM Wind Power facility opened in Brazil amid fanfare in 2013 but the conversation has switched from expansion to closure
Around 1,000 workers at a Brazilian turbine blade factory owned by LM Wind Power face losing their jobs after the GE Vernova subsidiary decided to end production there.
“Due to declining demand in the Latin American market, our blade factory in Suape, Brazil, will cease operations,” an LM Wind Power spokesperson told Recharge.
The spokesperson added that the company is "fully committed to supporting affected employees" with measures such as severance pay and transition benefits.
Workers were told that the factory will close as soon as next month when the last blades on the production line are concluded, according to a …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]LM Wind Power facility opened in Brazil amid fanfare in 2013 but the conversation has switched from expansion to closure
Around 1,000 workers at a Brazilian turbine blade factory owned by LM Wind Power face losing their jobs after the GE Vernova subsidiary decided to end production there.
“Due to declining demand in the Latin American market, our blade factory in Suape, Brazil, will cease operations,” an LM Wind Power spokesperson told Recharge.
The spokesperson added that the company is "fully committed to supporting affected employees" with measures such as severance pay and transition benefits.
Workers were told that the factory will close as soon as next month when the last blades on the production line are concluded, according to a news portal for local authorities in the metropolitan region of Recife.
Copenhagen-based LM Wind Power opened the plant in the Suape industrial port facility in 2013, with the enthusiastic backing of authorities in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco.
LM Wind Power was acquired by GE in 2017, and the US giant continued to invest in the plant at first, but has since gone on the retreat in Brazil as part of a long-running rationalisation drive.
In 2022, GE Vernova suspended operations at its Brazilian turbine manufacturing facility in Camacari, in the state of Bahia.
This facility was subsequently acquired by Goldwind and the Chinese turbine manufacturer received its first order last year when it was was chosen to supply 6.2MW turbines to a 105MW project being developed by compatriot power giant SPIC.
'Very proud'
Windsor Paiva , one of the workers who was given notice of his redundancy at LM Wind Power's Suape facility, posted on LinkedIn post shortly afterwards.
“I am very proud to have been part of this team over the past 3 years and 4 months, a period marked by constant learning and professional development,” he wrote.
“LM Wind Power was, without a doubt, a true school for all who had the opportunity to contribute there. It is with regret that we observe the current situation for this sector in the country."
Brazil's market for wind turbines is currently wholly dominated by the onshore sector, but the country is preparing for an inaugural offshore wind tender after Congress approved a regulatory framework in December.