gold-n-rod
06-17-2009, 12:22 PM
Tiara thinks outside the box.....
Holland, Mich. company may hire 1,000 workers
Phil Dawson • WZZM13 Grand Rapids • June 17, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal
HOLLAND - A Holland boat company known for high end yachts is branching out into a business they say could create more than 1,000 jobs.
The owners of Tiara Yachts have created a company called Energetx to build blades for giant wind turbines.
They use the same fiberglass composites needed for turbine blades in the fabrication of their boats.
The company is already working on their first blades and expect to start hiring employees soon.
"Over a period of 5 years we believe with the contracts we are talking about it is possible to employ over 1,000 people in that time frame," says Energetx Vice President Kelly Slikkers.
"That's great for everybody in the area," says unemployed truck driver Ed Walker.
A company like Energetx is just what Ed Walker thinks Holland needs.
He was downsized at USF Holland Trucking last week after 30 years of service
"Holland is so diversified, whenever it goes down in one side it comes up in another," says Walker. "I don't care if you are making mirrors for Donnelly or widgets for weedwackers, West Michigan will prevail."
Energetics will make the turbine blades in the same Holland factory Tiara yachts are built, at least for the time being.
If the turbine business grows the way they expect executives say they may need to find or build more space.
"We feel there is a large opportunity in wind technology," says Slikkers.
Holland, Mich. company may hire 1,000 workers
Phil Dawson • WZZM13 Grand Rapids • June 17, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal
HOLLAND - A Holland boat company known for high end yachts is branching out into a business they say could create more than 1,000 jobs.
The owners of Tiara Yachts have created a company called Energetx to build blades for giant wind turbines.
They use the same fiberglass composites needed for turbine blades in the fabrication of their boats.
The company is already working on their first blades and expect to start hiring employees soon.
"Over a period of 5 years we believe with the contracts we are talking about it is possible to employ over 1,000 people in that time frame," says Energetx Vice President Kelly Slikkers.
"That's great for everybody in the area," says unemployed truck driver Ed Walker.
A company like Energetx is just what Ed Walker thinks Holland needs.
He was downsized at USF Holland Trucking last week after 30 years of service
"Holland is so diversified, whenever it goes down in one side it comes up in another," says Walker. "I don't care if you are making mirrors for Donnelly or widgets for weedwackers, West Michigan will prevail."
Energetics will make the turbine blades in the same Holland factory Tiara yachts are built, at least for the time being.
If the turbine business grows the way they expect executives say they may need to find or build more space.
"We feel there is a large opportunity in wind technology," says Slikkers.