Marmen and Welcon unveil offshore project plans

Trois-Rivières, 11/25/2020 - Today Marmen and Welcon disclose details about their plan to build the first U.S. offshore wind towers and transition pieces manufacturing site and to develop a state-of-the-art facility at the Port of Albany.

The execution is contingent to Equinor’s bid selection by NYSERDA for their proposed multi-port infrastructure investment plans (PIIPs). The team has built an inclusive approach providing all the developers and OEMs the ability to source wind towers and transition pieces from the facility, even for already awarded offshore projects in any other U.S. states.

“Marmen and Welcon are manufacturing partners for all leading turbine OEMs and we are both looking forward to expanding our activities and develop the offshore wind market in the United States. We intend to set up and develop a long-term offshore manufacturing operation.” said Patrick Pellerin, President of Marmen.

Marmen and Welcon are looking forward to playing an active role in New York State’s commitment to clean energy and the creation of a hub for the United States’ growing offshore wind energy industry.

Plant Capability
The proposed facility is designed to produce the next generation of wind towers and transition pieces. The infrastructure will allow production of larger components, including diameter of more than 33 feet (10 meters), length up to 230 feet (70 meters) and weight up to 500 tons.

The plant will include the latest technology and automated equipment to optimize production and meet the highest level of quality. The site will have extensive storage capacity to support typical timeline requirements. The port location provides a dedicated wharf on the Hudson river with year-long access to the sea and a direct rail access. The facility will have the capacity to produce up to 200 units depending on the product mix.

The project will boost the regional economy and have a very positive impact on local businesses. In terms of job creation, it will generate unique construction and other short-term employment opportunities plus 350 full time manufacturing jobs in Albany. Furthermore, the project partnership is committed to supporting local workforce development, training, and recruitment programs in collaboration with local schools and apprenticeship programs.

National and local supply chain will also benefit from the manufacturing operations, including the planned sourcing of more than 100,000 tons of steel per year from U.S. mills. If Equinor’s bid is selected by NYSERDA, initial construction is scheduled to begin in 2021 and first production to start in 2023.

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About Marmen
Marmen has facilities in Canada and in the USA and is recognized as one of the largest manufacturers of onshore wind towers in North America and for providing high-precision machining, fabrication and mechanical assembly services to leading OEMs around the world.

About Welcon
Welcon, based in Denmark, is the world´s leading manufacturer of offshore wind towers and holds worldwide production rights for the Stiesdal floating and bottom fixed offshore foundations.

Marmen Contact
Claude Mallick
Department Head - Marketing and Communications
Email: claude.mallick@marmeninc.com
Tel: 1 819-379-0453 ext. 1259