Wind turbine firm to create 100 jobs in Eaton Rapids

 

 

EATON RAPIDS - A Rochester company expects to create 100 clean energy jobs in the next 1 1/2 years in Eaton Rapids. URV USA LLC was awarded a $3.5 million grant and $500,000 loan from federal stimulus funds to create a foundry that would produce castings for wind turbine components.

 

Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Friday announced nine recipients of the loans and grants, which are part of the federal Clean Energy Advanced Manufacturing program.

 

"This Recovery Act investment links Michigan's strong manufacturing roots to alternative energy technology that will help us compete in the global economy while creating jobs right here in Eaton Rapids," U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, said in a statement.

URV USA is part of Finland's URV Foundry. Company officials did not return calls Friday seeking comment on hiring details.

 

The foundry will be located next to the Astraeus Wind Energy Inc. complex in Eaton Rapids, Schauer said. It will supply Astraeus.

 

In December 2009, Astraeus snagged a $7 million grant through the CEAM program to build a machine that produces wind turbine hubs. In April, it won a $6 million state grant to develop advanced wind turbine blade components.

 

Astraeus was formed last summer as an affiliate of Eaton Rapids-based Dowding Machining LLC.

 

"The URV has some technologies that make it best-in-class from a casting standpoint," said Jeff Metts, president of Astraeus and Dowding Industries. "It will be highly competitive with the Chinese and when we put our machining together with that foundry, it will allow us to compete with anyone in the world."

 

Dowding is contracting with Sterling Heights-based MAG Industrial Automation Systems LLC to build machines for the wind turbine component production. It's also working with Midland-based Dow Chemical Co. and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory based in Tennessee on materials and technical expertise.