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LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business and leading designer and producer of wind turbine blades, announced today that it has actually started production at a new manufacturing facility in Bergama, Turkey. The center, which lies in Bergama Organized Industrial Zone (BOSBI), is expected to produce and distribute an annual capability of 500 megawatts (MW) with the ability to increase to 1,5 gigawatts (GW).

The Bergama facility is the very first new blade manufacturing website of LM Wind Power because it ended up being a GE Renewable resource business previously this year. It stands for a $50 million commitment to Turkey and will develop up to 450 extra skilled technical jobs for the region, which vary from manufacturing operations, to technological engineering, solutions, administration and secondary assistance. Of the present 287-employee labor force, 24 percent are women.

Blade manufacturing calls for an extremely technical workforce and detailed training is a key component of ramping up a new LM Wind Power plant. The company inaugurated its Center of Excellence training center in Bergama earlier this year, gearing up the staff members to apply and strengthen their sophisticated blade manufacturing and commercial abilities. The manufacturing facility will certainly attend to the requirements of the fast-growing Turkish wind industry. Given that 2010, yearly new wind setups have continued to enhance and sustained growth is forecasted with a target of 20 GW by 2023.

Nabil Habayeb, President and CEO of GE in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey [MENAT], said: "The potential for renewable energy in our region is unbelievably strong, with the purchase of LM including considerable abilities, particularly taking into account the launch of the new wind generator plant in Turkey. The demand for reliable and lasting sources of power is only boosting, and this manufacturing facility will certainly help place us in prime position to meet the growing requirements of customers in the region, all the while highlighting our commitment to local task development and capability advancement.

Dr. Manar Al Moneef, CEO of Renewable Energy at GE MENAT, said: "The renewable resource target established by Turkey - 30 percent of total power from renewable resources by 2023 - is incredibly encouraging, established a clear course toward sustainable power use and empowering others, across sectors and fields, to collaborate towards a common objective. The launch of the LM Wind Power wind turbine blade plant is a tangible indication of our dedication toward that objective, along with our capacities in helping to recognize it. Turkey already ranks in the top 10 markets around the world by raising wind installment numbers, and we are certain that with new initiatives such as these both local ability and capacities will continue to advance."

Marc de Jong, CEO of LM Wind Power, said: "We are pleased and fired up to celebrate with GE and our partners in Bergama. We continue our growth right into a new nation and this is a very attractive place for operations like ours. We have actually spent considerable time and resources in Bergama and eagerly anticipate grow the wind industry with numerous partners and customers moving forward."

Jrme Pcresse, CEO of GE Renewable Energy, added: "GE currently operates 8 facilities with more than 2000 employees in Turkey - a very promising market for renewable energy and wind in particular. With LM Wind Power, GE Renewable resource is incorporating blade design and production right into our wind generator business providing us a solid position in the fastest growing segment of power generation. In 2014, the Turkish wind field got to a keystone by having more than 6GW wind power mounted. GE is dedicated to spending long-term in the neighborhoods where we operate and this center is an essential turning point in our dedication to deal with local talent.

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