LM GlasFiber cuts jobs in Denmark but opens plant in Canada

Denmark’s LM Glasfiber is to cut 170 jobs at its headquarters facility in Lunderskov, Jutland, as it reduces capacity there by around a third. The cutbacks are in response to weakening demand in Germany, its main market in northern Europe, LM Glasfiber said. The Danish company is, however, to establish a wind turbine blade plant in Gaspé, Quebec, Canada. The plant is scheduled to come on stream in January 2006 and will employ between 100 and 120 people.

LM GlasFiber recently won a contract to supply wind turbines blades to GE Energy from 2006 to 2012. The blades will be used for eight large wind power projects to provide a total of 990 megawatt of energy in Quebec, the company said. LM Glasfiber will also supply blades to GE Energy for 1,400 megawatt of capacity for the North American market over the next ten years. Together with its existing North Dakota plant, the Gaspé unit will raise LM GlasFiber’s annual blade production capacity in North America to about 900 megawatt. The company has manufacturing facilities in Denmark, Spain, India and China.