Wind Turbine Gear Maker Picks Muncie for North American Headquarters, Manufacturing Center
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MUNCIE, Ind (Oct. 8, 2008) - Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from international gear maker Brevini today to announce the company's plans to locate its U.S. headquarters and first North American gear design and manufacturing center here, creating more than 450 new jobs by 2011. The facility will serve as a hub for developing and manufacturing wind turbine planetary gear boxes used in wind farms across the country.
The company specializes in designing and manufacturing the gear drive applications for a variety of heavy equipment, utility, mining and marine applications and will locate its North American headquarters and design center in an existing 60,000-square-foot facility in the Muncie Delaware County Park One Industrial Park.
Brevini will construct an additional 150,000 square-feet of manufacturing space at the site in 2010 to manufacture planetary gear boxes for wind turbine energy generation and other low-speed, high-torque applications. It is the company's first U.S.-based manufacturing operation.
"Indiana intends to be a green power leader, not only in producing energy but in making the equipment that produces energy, including wind turbines, electric car batteries and other tools of this energy revolution," said Daniels. "Brevini could have chosen to locate anyplace in the country but selected Indiana and that's a reflection of our leadership in alternative energy and our excellent business climate."
Earlier today, Daniels announced that healthcare equipment management provider TriMedx would expand its national headquarters on the northwest side of Indianapolis and create 100 new jobs.
Brevini, an Italian company, currently designs and manufactures its planetary gear boxes in Germany, Italy and China. The company will begin hiring engineers, accountants, customer service staff and assembly technicians in 2009 following the relocation of its existing U.S. headquarters from suburban Chicago.
"Brevini is a world leader in both innovative design and quality planetary gear box and power transmission applications," said Renato Brevini, founder and chief executive officer of Brevini. "This combination requires significant investment in the best facilities, equipment and people. Our Indiana facility will enable us to design and build the best quality gear boxes in the world."
The gear boxes, which transform kinetic wind energy into mechanical energy for electricity generation, are a critical component in furthering wind power generation in the United States, Brevini said.
"This is a great opportunity for Delaware County and East Central Indiana to diversify its workforce and economic base," said John Brooke, president of the Delaware County Commissioners. "Brevini is the type of company that will be a tremendous asset to the entire community as well as an economic stimulus for the potential of suppliers and other companies to locate in this area and continue our growth.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Brevini up to $3.9 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $300,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. The Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance-Vision 2011 will support Delaware County providing the company with the 20-acre site for the new facility, property tax abatement and extending rail service to the site with the assistance of a state grant.
"Today is a magnificent day for Muncie and Delaware County," said Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley. "More than 450 families in the greater Muncie community will be positively impacted by Brevini's decision to relocate its headquarters and ultimately build a manufacturing facility in the Muncie Delaware County Park One Industrial Park. Muncie is thrilled with this decision, and we so appreciate Brevini's vote of confidence in our community. We look forward to partnering with them as they advance their company."
Brevini plans to construct its new manufacturing facility to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and employ technology that will power a portion of the facility with electricity generated from gear box testing.
Brevini is the first company to locate wind energy-related component manufacturing in Indiana, but the state is already playing a role in the fast growing wind energy industry. Two wind farms in Benton County, Fowler Ridge and Benton County, are expected to generate 530 megawatts of wind energy capacity in the state by the end of this year. Wind project development companies are also considering other sites in Indiana for wind farms, and the state is actively pursuing other green energy manufacturing companies.
About Brevini
Founded in Spain in 1960 by Renato, Luciano and Corrado Brevini, Brevini has grown to an international developer and manufacturer of planetary and helical gears for industries ranging from manufacturing to energy generation. Headquartered in Italy, the Brevini Company now exceeds $600 Million dollars a year in annual global sales. The Brevini Company specializes in application of planetary gearboxes with hydraulic and electric motors for low speed, high torque equipment. The company's reducers are particularly suited to thickeners, agitators, mixer, feeder conveyors, inching, long travel and slewing drives. For more information about Brevini, visit www.breviniusa.com.
About IEDC
Created by Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Indiana Secretary of Commerce Nathan Feltman serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. Since Daniels created the IEDC, the state has posted three consecutive years of record-breaking commitments for new jobs. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.
About Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance - Vision 2011
Vision 2011 is Delaware County's five year economic development program and is administered by the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Delaware Advancement Corporation. For more information about the EDC, visit www.muncie.com.
