Siemens produces 1,000th blade at Tillsonburg manufacturing facility

The production of 1,000 blades generates enough electricity to power more than 230,000 Ontario homes per year. The Wind Power division of Siemens Canada employs more than 500 across Canada, the majority of whom work at the 253,000-square-foot Tillsonburg facility which has been manufacturing wind turbine blades since 2010.

All Siemens wind turbine blades in Canada are manufactured at the company’s blade facility in Tillsonburg, Ontario. Situated on 40 acres of land, the facility manufactures 49-metre blades for the SWT-2.3-101 geared-drive platform and 55-metre blades for the SWT-3.2-113 direct-drive platform. Blades produced in Tillsonburg are installed in Canadian wind farms and abroad.

As the largest employer in Tillsonburg, the factory operates continuously at capacity to support order backlog for the domestic market. This accelerated production highlights the positive impact that the Green Energy Act and the Green Energy Investment Agreement (GEIA) have made on Ontario’s manufacturing sector. Tillsonburg’s first blade was one of 372 used in the commissioning of South Kent, one of Canada’s largest wind farms and part of the 270 megawatts (MW) agreement between Siemens, Samsung Renewable Energy Inc. (Samsung), and Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) that came as a result of the GEIA.

In addition to manufacturing, Siemens has also established its first Canadian wind turbine Service and Maintenance Distribution Centre in Chatham, Ontario in order to enhance its proximity to customer wind farms. The 12,000-square-foot warehouse stores commonly used wind turbine parts and serves as a training centre to develop and advance the technical and safety skills of the firm’s wind technicians.

The Canadian wind energy market is growing at a rapid rate and is now the ninth largest in the world, with a current installed capacity of approximately 9,700-MW. Siemens Canada is making a significant contribution to this growth, holding a leading position in the Ontario market with over 1,600-MW of installed capacity in the province.

Globally, Siemens has five blade manufacturing facilities located in Canada, China, Iowa and Denmark.

Quotes:

"We are very proud and excited to be celebrating the completion of our 1000th blade today. In 2014, Siemens reached a 10-gigawatt installation milestone in the Americas, which reaffirms our commitment to renewable energy, the competitiveness of wind power and continuous innovation.”
-Jacob Andersen, Head of Wind Power Renewables, Siemens Canada

“We feel an incredible amount of honor and pride in celebrating our 1000th blade. We’re very proud to be home to Siemens Canada’s wind turbine manufacturing facility and are excited to continue to provide jobs and clean energy to Ontarians.”
-Niels Kelter-Wesenberg, Plant Manager, Tillsonburg Blade Manufacturing Facility

“Ontario has become an international leader for integrating renewable resources into our electricity grid. Congratulations to Siemens Canada for their commitment and contribution to building Ontario’s clean energy economy.” 
- The Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Energy

About Siemens Canada
For more than 100 years the innovative ideas from Siemens have helped make Canada a better place. From the Atlantic to Pacific oceans, more than 4,500 employees in Canada work together to provide answers that last in the fields of electrification, automation and digitalization. Since it was federally chartered in 1912, Siemens has stood for innovation, quality, reliability and internationality. Sales for Siemens Canada in fiscal 2014 (ended September 30), were $2.7 billion CAD. The company has 39 offices and 12 manufacturing/assembly facilities across Canada. Further information is available at www.siemens.ca.