The facility, scheduled to open at the end of 2011, will handle main wind turbine components, tools and spare parts. It will be the largest facility of its type for Siemens in the U.S. market.
'The need for this large distribution facility indicates the wind industry is maturing rapidly, creating new jobs and new development opportunities,' said Tim Holt, chief executive officer of Siemens' service renewable business unit, in a statement.
'Woodward's location in the central region of the U.S. gives us great access to our wind power customers in that area and allows us to address their distribution needs in a cost-effective and efficient timeframe,' he added.
Over the next five years, Siemens expects to staff the facility with up to 40 employees.
Siemens has become the second-largest U.S. wind turbine supplier in terms of installed capacity. The Woodward distribution center marks the ninth U.S. facility expansion related to Siemens' wind power business. In the United States, Siemens has installed wind turbines with a combined capacity of more than 4,200 megawatts, which is enough to supply electric power to more than 1.25 million homes.
