LM Glasfiber (Kolding / Denmark; www.lmglasfiber.com) is reducing its workforce by almost 900, with most of the jobs to be lost in its Danish home market. The company said the decision reflects increasing competition in the wind energy industry and the shift in the turbine business outside Europe. At the same time, the Danish rotor blade manufacturer – which bills itself as global leader – is heavily investing in China – see Plasteurope.com of 12.11.2009.

The redundancies will result from the phase-out of large scale manufacturing at one of its two plants in Denmark and one of three in Spain. “We need to increase capacity where there is a high demand and high potential, and scale down where demand has dropped due to the global crisis,” said chief operating officer Iain Gow. He said the closures are necessary, “to allow us to remain the preferred partner for wind turbine manufacturers in the global marketplace.”

The rotor blade specialist will continue production in Denmark of what it claims is the “world’s longest commercially available, 61.5 m, blade,” for the offshore market. Together with a planned new technology centre, LM Glasfiber will continue to employ more than 500 people in its home country.