Construction products supplier Arcosa has welcomed US President Joe Biden to its new wind turbine tower factory in Belen, New Mexico.
Biden toured the plant, which is expected to enter production in mid-2024 to make wind turbine towers for customers such as GE Vernova.
Biden said: “Since I signed the [Inflation Reduction Act] into law, Arcosa has received $1.1bn of orders for new wind towers and today we are here breaking ground on a new plant that is going to create 250 new good paying jobs.
“Meanwhile we are speeding up permitting for new transmission lines so that wind energy produced by these towers reaches people’s homes.”
On 14 March, Arcosa announced a plan to invest between $55m-$60m to purchase property, modify the existing plant, and procure necessary equipment for the new wind tower manufacturing facility in Belen, New Mexico.
The factory is supported by attractive incentives from the state and the city of Belen.
Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the company has received wind tower orders in excess of $1.1bn, including a “significant level of backlog through 2028” for the facility.
Additional capacity is available to support further expansion in the Southwest region.
Arcosa’s president and chief executive Antonio Carrillo added the company is “proud to have hosted President Biden” and the factory “demonstrates the expected long-term positive impact of the Inflation Reduction Act that is driving the transition to clean energy and job creation”.
Vice president of GE Vernova government affairs and sustainability Roger Martella added: “The IRA and IIJA have been game changers, and the Arcosa facility in Belen is an early proof point of this success.
“We congratulate our partners at Arcosa, and we value our 18-year partnership building clean energy and jobs together. When America innovates, the world wins, starting here in Belen.”