NEWS - Manufacturing

11/09/2009 - Another Southern city is getting a new plant and a lot of jobs from Mitsubishi Power Systems, the company that is moving a plant to the Savannah “mega-site” in Pooler.

The company has announced intention to locate a wind manufacturing plant at Fort Smith, Ark., with plans to invest $100 million and create as many as 400 jobs.

MPSA plans to invest approximately $100 million in the project, according to Koji Hasegawa, president and CEO of MPSA, based in Lake Mary, FL.

“After an intensive site selection process conducted during the last 15 months, we concluded that Fort Smith, Arkansas, offers the most attractive site and community support for building and operating our wind turbine plant,” said Hasegawa.

“Additionally, we are also very impressed with Arkansas’s commitment to the renewable energy industry. With the establishment of this wind turbine manufacturing plant, we are also planning to expand our component sourcing in the U.S. so as to shorten our supply chain,” he added.

MPSA intends to locate its wind turbine manufacturing plant in a new 200,000 sq. ft. facility at Fort Chaffee, near Fort Smith, occupying 90 acres.  The company plans on beginning construction by early 2011.

MPSA currently has more than 4,500 wind turbines in operation worldwide, and over 3,000 wind turbines in the United States.
The company’s new plant in the Savannah area is also underway, a projected $325 million investment by MPSA, with as many as 200 jobs in the first two years.

Steam and gas turbines components for power plants will be built, repaired and serviced at the plant.

Hiring will begin in begin in early 2010, with production to begin later next year. Georgia’s Quick Start workforce development training program will head employee training on the needed skills to assemble and service the components.  MPSA has announced that engineers, skilled tradesmen and administrative staff will be hired.

In the future, the company plans to build a new generation of turbines, and may eventually employee 500 people in Savannah, by 2015.

MPSA has begun running its first help wanted ads, advertising for welders for multiple shifts who are able to perform all types of welding, blending and operation of stress relief equipment, and is requiring an associates degree or equivalent from two-year college or technical school; or at least six years of related experience. Applicants must be able to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift/and or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.