A rendering of the proposed facility. The project qualified for $7 million in tax credits through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
A wind tower manufacturing plant is planned for Ottawa, Kansas. Schuff Steel Company, a subsidiary of Schuff International, Inc.— a family of steel construction companies — is moving ahead with their plans. “We are currently building a first article prototype wind tower at our plant in Ottawa, Kansas and are pursuing opportunities for volume manufacturing of the tower,” says Dennis Randall, executive vice president of Schuff’s Midwest Division. According to Randall, “Volume manufacturing of this new type of wind tower would require construction of a new plant.” Construction documents are being prepared for construction of the 200,000-sq ft facility at Schuff’s current location on Davis Road. Schuff anticipates employment of 200 to 250 people for the facility once it is at full capacity.
The plant would produce a new type of tower for Wind Tower Systems LLC, but the new product must be accepted in the marketplace to justify the manufacturing plant, according what Randall told the Kansas City Business Journal. The new design is a structural tower wrapped with fabric rather than the conventional rolled-metal tower. Randall says the design is more economical to ship and to accommodate taller towers.
Demand for the new tower is expected to develop in early 2012, giving Schuff plenty of time to build the plant if it can secure sufficient orders. Early preparation of construction documents is expected to aid in this effort. Schuff had originally planned to build the plant in North Dakota, but changing market conditions and providing a location central to the wind belt were factors in the decision to relocate the planned facility.
Wind Tower Systems www.windtowersystems.com
Filed Under: Construction, Towers
New technologies allow facility managers to opt HVAC systems to relieve energy usage
by 25-50 % without disturbing occupants’ comfort and indoor
air quality. With a caulk gun as well as a little paint you can prevent what
Dad would’ve called “bought air” from leaving your home through cracks and crevices.
To conduct an audit the REA inspects equipment and systems.