Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

AWEA Wind Power Supply Chain Workshop: Supplier Case Studies

By Kathie Zipp | March 24, 2011

Component Supplier – Case Studies

Moderator: Ed Watson – Great Lakes Wind Network
Panelist:
Charlie Appleby, Manager of Client Services, Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions (AMS)
Alexandra Altvater, Dir. Business Development, Beckmann Volmer
Chris Carpenter, Business Development Manager, Flash Technologies
Carl LaFrance, VP Renewable Energy, Molded Fiber Glass Companies
Dennis McKinley, Industry Sales Manager, ABB

Q&A

-Q1 How did you enter the Windpower market?
– A1: Carl: Innovative foresight back in 1970’s from GM in Calf. plant. Took a while to payoff, but certainly a good decision
– A2: Emerged from European Counterparts…easy transition from existing telecom and airport business

-Q2 Who has a Lean Manufacturing Process
– A – everyone on panel

– Q3 How important is co-location with customers when opening supply manufacturing facility?
– A1: Carl – it is certainly a factor that we consider. We bring in very small parts but our finished product is very large, so in order to keep logistical time and cost down we try to locate near our customers are easily accessible transportation route.
– A2: Alexandra – Very important…actually entered wind market because of close proximity to GE Energy in Germany. Opening Arkansas plant because of location to Nordex facility in Arkansas.

– Q4 How often to you redesign your products?
– A1: Alexandra- Always looking to innovate but most changes stem from customer request.
– A2: Carl – Throughout the entire lifecycle of the product line. Rely on customer insight into what is needed for innovative change.
– A3: Dennis: By customer request

– Q5 What keeps you up at night?
A1: Dennis- What is wind market doing today? Uncertainty in market.
A2: Carl- Lack of longterm US policy in wind.
A3: Chris- No Stable policy for wind.
A4: Alexandra- Unknown market, lack of strong US policy for wind. Manufacturing leaving US for China and others.


Filed Under: Turbines
Tagged With: ABB, AWEA, Beckmann Volmer, Flash Technology, molded fiber glass companies, supply chain
 

About The Author

Kathie Zipp

Related Articles Read More >

GE expands New York wind turbine factory, creating 200 new jobs
Richardson Electronics unveils new line of pitch energy modules for wind turbines
GE supplying turbines for 200-MW South Dakota wind project
Leeward completes 3rd wind project in Colorado county

Podcasts

Wind Spotlight: Looking back at a year of Thrive with ZF Wind Power
See More >

Windpower Engineering & Development Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Browse the most current issue of Windpower Engineering & Development and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading wind power engineering magazine today.

Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Wind Articles
  • Solar Power World
  • Subscribe to Windpower Engineering
  • About Us/Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising

Search Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe