Siemens Energy, the third largest maker of wind turbines, announced today that it has chosen to build its first U.S. nacelle production facility in Hutchinson. The announcement came after a nearly year long effort by the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, working in close cooperation with State and local officials, to attract the facility. This will be the first major wind turbine manufacturer to locate in Kansas, the state ranked third in the Nation for its wind energy potential. The facility, to be built in the Salt City Business Park, is expected to create an estimated 400 green-collar jobs.

Hutchinson faced stiff competition to secure this highly desirable economic development project at a time when some communities are seeing their job market shrink. Hutchinson was selected because of its strong workforce, geographic location and its access to transportation. Dave Kerr, President of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce noted, “This project required an extraordinary amount of teamwork from individuals at both the local and state level, including some help from the Kansas Legislature.”

Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius, new Governor Mark Parkinson and the Kansas Department of Commerce all worked closely with officials from the City, the County and the City of South Hutchinson to demonstrate why Hutchinson would be the right location for Siemens. “Any time a company of this magnitude chooses Kansas, it speaks volumes about our business climate, our workforce and our prime location in the Nation’s wind corridor,” said Governor Parkinson.

Construction on the new nacelle production facility is expected to begin in August of 2009, with the first 90-ton nacelle expected to be shipped in December of 2010. The nacelle is the structure that houses all the electricity-generating components, including the gearbox, drive train and control electronics. The units made in Hutchinson will be for the company’s reliable 2.3 MW (megawatt) wind turbine product family. Initially, planned annual output will be approximately 650 nacelles – or 1,500 MW. A service facility is planned to start up sooner, using temporary space in the area until the new building is completed.

Siemens Energy provides power systems that generate more than one-third of the electricity in the U.S. Siemens employs more than 9,000 people in the energy sector and 70,000 people overall in the U.S., covering the energy, healthcare and industry sectors.

Finalization of the planned Siemens facility in Hutchinson requires approval of incentive agreements by local governing bodies, the State of Kansas, Siemens Energy, Inc. and its affiliate Siemens Shared Services, LLC, Real Estate Division.