Vestas has inaugurated a new production line for the V236-15.0 MW blades at its plant in Taranto, Italy. This is an interesting move, as the blade molds were developed at Vestas’ Lem factory, and the first 115.5 m prototypes were manufactured at Vestas’ offshore blade factory in Nakskov.

As a result of this new production line in Taranto, the factory has increased its workforce over the past year from 700 to 1,600 employees, generating a significant impact on the local economy. Additionally, the company expects to reach 2,000 employees at the plant in the coming months, around 1,300 of whom will work on the V236.

Considering how labor-intensive blade manufacturing is, Italy’s labor cost has likely been attractive compared to costs in Denmark.

Vestas also took the opportunity to emphasize “Made in Europe and Made by Europe”.

Apart from the Taranto line, Vestas also plans another blade factory in Poland, where the V236-15.0 MW model has been well received.

Remember that Vestas has over 14 GW of orders for this model, including firm, conditional, and preferred supplier contracts.