Vestas The End

[Ship called Dignity]

Installed Vestas Wind Mills as by July 31st 2008: [url]http://www.vestas.com/en/about-vestas/results/results-–-country-by-country.aspx[/url]

Examples of numbers of installed Vestas-mills by country:
USA 9,641
Germany 5,476
Denmark 4,871
India 3,917
Spain 2,040
Italy 1,722
......
England 321
Scotland 301
......
United Arabian Emirates 1

What's your point?

[bakbjerg]

Installed Vestas Wind Mills as by July 31st 2008: [url]http://www.vestas.com/en/about-vestas/results/results-–-country-by-country.aspx[/url]

Examples of numbers of installed Vestas-mills by country:
USA 9,641
Germany 5,476
Denmark 4,871
India 3,917
Spain 2,040
Italy 1,722
......
England 321
Scotland 301
......
United Arabian Emirates 1

What's your point?

I'm not trying to defend Vestas, just thought it would be fair to widen the background information further. And as mentioned below, I thought perhaps a bit of the explanation could be the fact, that Vestas hasn't succeeded on the british market.

[Ship called Dignity]

I'm not trying to defend Vestas, just thought it would be fair to widen the background information further. And as mentioned below, I thought perhaps a bit of the explanation could be the fact, that Vestas hasn't succeeded on the british market.

Too easy to miss the point on these bloody forums you see! So why does the factory here have to fall because of poor sales? Surely they should be looking to that and asking why? (again just for debate purposes )

There however, is one significant point missing from your last post. With the exception of Denmark, these nations are a lot bigger than Scotland so in comparison to Germany and Spain for examle 301 in Scotland isn't bad....???

[bakbjerg]

..There however, is one significant point missing from your last post. With the exception of Denmark, these nations are a lot bigger than Scotland so in comparison to Germany and Spain for examle 301 in Scotland isn't bad....???

Perhaps not bad relatively in the matter of population, but whereelse can you find that much coastline with that much wind. I'm sure Scotland could have had 100% electricity from windpower alone, if the priority was there. So perhaps, perhaps, perhaps they (Vestas) had expected more, or was promised more

Perhaps the latest explosion in energy prices is the wakeup call the world or politicians need to start the process of going greener

[Ship called Dignity]

..There however, is one significant point missing from your last post. With the exception of Denmark, these nations are a lot bigger than Scotland so in comparison to Germany and Spain for examle 301 in Scotland isn't bad....???

Perhaps not bad relatively in the matter of population, but whereelse can you find that much coastline with that much wind. I'm sure Scotland could have had 100% electricity from windpower alone, if the priority was there. So perhaps, perhaps, perhaps they (Vestas) had expected more, or was promised more

Aye, but if you read through the previous posts and the bit on the BBC website you'll realise Vestas are just not winning the contracts here. Perhaps, maybe just perhaps, they are poor at winning the contracts in Britain?

[bakbjerg]

Aye, but if you read through the previous posts and the bit on the BBC website you'll realise Vestas are just not winning the contracts here. ...

Exactly, which was the reason why I suggested (in previous post ) that perhaps they are optimising by moving their production to where their markets are. I don't want to defend Vestas, I'm sure they are trying to optimise profit like any other business.

[Ship called Dignity]

Aye, but if you read through the previous posts and the bit on the BBC website you'll realise Vestas are just not winning the contracts here. ...

Exactly, which was the reason why I suggested (in previous post ) that perhaps they are optimising by moving their production to where their markets are. I don't want to defend Vestas, I'm sure they are trying to optimise profit like any other business.

'How naw jist say that then'?

Lets just hope they don't have to move. This is a massive blow to Kintyre and I can't begin to believe how it must feel for the workforce.

[EMDEE]

Considering the amount of public money that has been expended on this venture to attract Vestas to Kintyre in the first place, Vestas should not be allowed to "cut and run" without some very searching questions being asked, both of Vestas, and of those who authorised such expenditure. Both the British taxpayer and the local community are serious stakeholders in this operation.

If Vestas are so inept at forward planning that they have to keep closing down operations, not just in Kintyre, but in other locations such as Australia and Tasmania, after also having received large handouts of taxpayers money there, it is very easy for one to be cynical about their motives and business practices, and wonder how their being a world leader in wind technology reconciles with this ineptitude.

[bakbjerg]

Lets just hope they don't have to move. This is a massive blow to Kintyre and I can't begin to believe how it must feel for the workforce.

Totally agree
And if it's not over yet, perhaps it would be most productive to think how to keep on attracting companys to the area, instead of just throwing stones.

[bakbjerg]

I have been studying different Danish sites about this subject today, and it seems that since Vestas overtook their largest competitor NEG Micon in 2005, there has been an ongoing process of optimisation within production of towers as well as other parts.
Two years ago several hundred workers within production of towers was out of job in Denmark alone because of the fusion, when 4 production sites was reduced to two, following the fusion with NEG Micon. And the trend on far away markets is nowadays, that you only get the windmill-contracts if you promise to produce a lot of the parts locally. Therefore the outsourcing of towers and other parts has been growing, which enhances the problems for the northern European production lines.
Just to bad that EU restricts us within the union to be just as restrictive regarding local production. In the name of free competition, we're not allowed to

[in command]

http://www.denverpost.com/celebritybuzz/ci_10215313


shouls someone contact the govenor & warn him to keep his money & use it elsewhere?

[bakbjerg]

http://www.denverpost.com/celebritybuzz/ci_10215313
shouls someone contact the govenor & warn him to keep his money & use it elsewhere?

Either he just wants a greener hat, or he's a visioner ?

Quote from the article: "The Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as research centers at the state's major universities, are viewed as providing "intellectual capital" that help draw companies such as Vestas to Colorado. .... The firm's expansion in Colorado is occurring despite repeated failures by Congress this year to extend a federal tax credit on the production of wind power. The credit expires at the end of this year. "

Why is subsidies always to blame As long as we have the EU watchdog over us, there's no big grants for any business in a competitive market to get anywhere within the union, it wouldn't comply with open market and competition rules. This enhances the problem, that the production goes to the markets faraway, where getting the contracts demands great deal of local production. In China you won't get any windmill contract unless you produce minimum 75% locally - hard to compete with.

[Windy Miller]

Why is subsidies always to blame As long as we have the EU watchdog over us, there's no big grants for any business in a competitive market to get anywhere within the union, it wouldn't comply with open market and competition rules.

When is a subsidy not a subsidy? Vestas certainly received massive incentives to establish a presence on Kintyre.

HIE/AIE spent >£10M of public money building the factory which they then rented to Vestas on very preferential terms.

A&B Council commissioned work costing £4.77M to widen the New Quay at the specific request of Vestas but at no cost to them.

Vestas also received half a million pounds in direct subsidy towards training the workforce.

Can anyone in the know confirm that Vestas outstanding harbour dues were written-off a couple of years ago and that they've since been allowed to use it gratis?

If Vestas walk away then what will happen to the factory? Can it be used for anything else or will it have to be demolished, like the Jaeger building? Likewise the call centre, still sitting empty.

[bakbjerg]

...Vestas certainly received massive incentives to establish a presence on Kintyre.

True or not about incentives, it seems that there's no profit for Vestas. As a multinational company, we can be sure, that they go for the profit if it's there, that's how "cynical" those companys and their shareholders are, (capitalism for good and bad).
Unfortunately the profit seems not to be here, and my main point was, that it's unfair competition worldwide, when countries outside EU can setup rules for local production to be included, and we can't. No wonder then, that they move production out there, to get the contracts.
As suggested below, the most proactive way out of this would be to look for ways to attract and keep companies here, instead of throwing stones. If there's no profit to get here in short and/or long terms, it's of course going to be difficult.

[bigchang]

Bakberk.

You say the union often do you mean the European Union?

Correct me if i'm wrong is Denmark in the EU?

They are quick enough to accept EU grants .

Don't believe Jantu Law would approve but hey that only works in DK correct.