Little Rock Gains Second Windmill Blade Manufacturer

First posted on 10-10-2008

Polymarin Composites of the Netherlands announced plans to locate a blade manufacturing facility in the old Levi Strauss facility off I-530 south of Little Rock. The company has committed to investing $16 million to renovate the structure and said it plans to employ up to 630 people within four years.

Wind Water Technology, a Polymarin supplier, will also be locating a facility in the same building. It plans a $4 million capital investment with a 200 employee operation in four years.

Polymarin is a direct competitor of the Danish windmill blade manufacturing company LM Glasfiber, which last year announced a decision to locate a plant in Little Rock.

Governor Mike Beebe’s office said that the United States was the most rapidly expanding market for wind energy worldwide and wanted to make Arkansas the hub of that expansion. Arkansas lobbied hard to get both the Polymarin and LM Glasfiber plants. Polymarin officials confirmed that 25 other potential sites were considered before the Little Rock location was selected.