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Wind-turbine manufacturer to open plant in Keokuk

Gov. Chet Culver and Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel joined officials from Hendricks Industries last week to announce plans for the company to open a wind turbine tower advanced manufacturing plant in Keokuk, creating 350 jobs and more than $34 million in capital investment, pending approval of state incentives.

“We are very pleased to announce plans for a wind tower manufacturing plant in Keokuk, Iowa,” said Ken Hendricks, owner of the Hendricks Holding Group. “Our new location in Iowa, the heart of America’s windbelt, puts our company in the perfect position to serve a market that is projected to triple production by the year 2020.”

Hendricks Industries is moving forward with two separate projects, both within the city of Keokuk. The wind turbine tower manufacturing project is expected to create 350 jobs with an average wage of $23.50 per hour and a 347,000- square-foot facility, generating $32 million in capital investment.

The company is also planning a Southeast Iowa Port Terminal improvement project, which is expected to create 10 jobs and retain 22 jobs with an average wage of $19.10 and generate $2.5 million in capital investment.

Culver met with Hendricks Industries officials during his Iowa renewable energy advocacy trip to Europe.

“I am delighted to welcome Hendricks Industries to Iowa,” said Culver. “In making its decision, Hendricks recognized what we in Iowa have known all along – our workforce and quality of life are second-to-none. We have a booming wind industry in the state of Iowa. Iowa now ranks third in the nation in wind energy production.”

In the past two years, three major wind energy manufacturers have chosen Iowa as the place to establish their North American production facilities — Acciona Energy, Siemens Wind Power and Clipper Windpower.

Mayor Gudgel and officials from the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) have been working closely with company officials to finalize the deal.

“This announcement is fantastic and highly emotional economic news for Keokuk, my citizens and the state of Iowa,” said Mayor Gudgel. “Today’s news is a testament to the painstaking work involved, accomplished by so many, in order to make Keokuk an attractive location for value added industrial growth.”

“Our proud tradition in advanced manufacturing coupled with our position in the Windbelt makes Iowa the ideal location for both wind energy turbines and the production facilities that produce them,” said IDED Director Mike Tramontina. “A recent study projects that, within a 600-mile radius of Iowa, $3.2 billion dollars in wind generation projects will be constructed each year over the next 7 years. That equals $22.4 billion in new economic development potential for the region.”