Posted by Heidi Schwartz
(Amarillo, TX) – GRI Renewable Industries, the industrial wind division of Spanish-based Gonvarri Steel Industries, plans to build a new manufacturing plant in Amarillo, TX. The plant, which will manufacture renewable wind energy components, is projected to create over 300 new jobs and $41 million in capital investment in the State of Texas. A Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant offer of $1.85 million has been extended to GRI.
“Texas competed with multiple states to become home to this facility, and I am proud of our efforts to close this deal and inject hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars into our economy,” said Gov. Greg Abbott.
“With this new factory in the U.S. market, GRI will utilize its experience and know-how as a leading global supplier of wind towers,” according to Javier Imaz, CEO of GRI. “We initially considered locations in several states as a part of our business strategy to serve the U.S. wind industry. Our decision to select Amarillo included key factors such as the pro-business environment in the state of Texas, Amarillo’s favorable geographical location and good workforce as well as a package of state and local incentives.”
The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (EDC) partnered with the Office of the Governor to facilitate state and local support for GRI’s new manufacturing facility in Amarillo.
“The Amarillo EDC is extremely excited to have secured this investment through a very rigorous site selection process with competition from New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas,” said John Kritser, Amarillo EDC Board Chairman. “GRI and its family of products supports the Amarillo EDC’s mission to expand our local economy and provide sustainable employment to Amarillo citizens.”
GRI’s Amarillo facility will begin construction in 2015 and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016. The plant will provide utility scale wind towers to wind energy facilities. The TEF offer is contingent upon final execution of the contract between TEF and Gestamp and upon Gestamp meeting jobs and capital investment projections, as well as the receipt of offered local incentives.
GRI Renewable Industries was formed in 2008 and is the industrial wind division of Gonvarri Steel Industries. It currently has 10 manufacturing plants in Spain, Brazil, China, Turkey, India and South Africa that manufacture and supply wind towers and flanges to the wind energy industry worldwide.
