HELENA – A German company is planning to build a wind turbine manufacturing plant near Butte, Gov. Brian Schweitzer announced Tuesday.
Fuhrlander AG of Waigandshain, Germany, says it hopes to start building the $25 million plant in the fall and finished by next year. It will employ about 150 people.
The company selected Montana for its North American manufacturing facility because of recent incentives adopted by the state. It also said a favorable political environment, led by Schweitzer, helped.
Company chairman Joachim Fuhrlander said an area in Butte, near the intersections of Intestates 90 and 15, was picked because of the available work force and training opportunities at Montana Tech.
Wind turbines built at the plant will cost about $4 million each, and produce up to 2.5 megawatts of electricity.
Schweitzer said the plant should help spur the development of more wind farms in Montana.