Vestas Tower Factory In Pueblo Will Build From Oregon-Made Steel

Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas says it will begin buying steel from a mill in Oregon for its turbine tower-making factory in Pueblo. The Pueblo Chieftain reports that Pueblo tower plant manager Tony Knopp announced the supply agreement Tuesday. Vestas will buy steel from Russian steelmaker Evraz' plant in Portland, where it makes steel plate. The steel plate will be shipped to Pueblo by rail. Evraz has a mill in Pueblo, but it does not produce steel plate. Knopp says Vestas hopes to get as much as 20 percent of the tower plant's steel orders from the Portland mill. He says the plant currently buys steel plate from several suppliers, including plants in North Carolina, Iowa and South Korea. Vestas employs 3,100 at plants in Pueblo, Brighton and Windsor. The Danish company's U.S. headquarters is in Portland.