GE doubles down on Haliade-X blade fabrication with second lay-up line
US OEM-owned LM Wind Power starts up new fabrication hall at Cherbourg factory in France as order book for giant turbine swells
GE Renewable Energy has started up a second blade fabrication line at its factory in Cherbourg, France, boosting manufacturing capacity for the 107-metre model being flown by it giant Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.
The new lay-up mould, which has passed its prototype testing, is part of ongoing investment in upgrading the plant, including an extension of the site with an additional hall for finishing blades before they are shipped.
The LM 107.0 P blade design, devised by GE-owned LM Wind Power, was the first sector model longer than 100 metres.
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The Cherbourg factory, the first blade manufacturing site in France when it was opened in April 2018, is recruiting a further 200 employees in time with the start-up of the second blade fabrication line, targeting 800 in total.