“We made Louisville the choice because of the engineering talent along the Denver-Boulder corridor, the city’s quality of life and a business-friendly climate.”

By Ann Rascalli

Vestas has strengthened its presence in Colorado with the announcement that it is opening an engineering site in Louisville.

The new facility will support the company’s existing North American manufacturing and production operations, with the intent to further reduce the cost of wind energy products for customers. Vestas Technology R&D Americas moved 46 employees, primarily from Brighton, into the new engineering site earlier this week. Within a year, the company plans to employ 75 to 125 engineers, scientists and support staff at an estimated payroll of $8 million.

The news enhances Louisville  reputation as a clean energy research hub. ConocoPhillips said it would build a research campus on the former StorageTek site that it hopes will eventually employ thousands of workers, and American Zephyr, the U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese maker of small wind systems, is also located there.

The move makes sense for the manufacturer from a logistics standpoint, since it already has plants in Windsor, Brighton and Pueblo.

The hiring is a much-needed boost for Colorado’s payroll jobs. “A majority of the employees that we have hired and anticipate hiring will be Coloradans,” said Vestas Americas Aili Jokela.

She added that the company made Louisville its choice because of the engineering talent along the Denver-Boulder corridor, the city’s quality of life and a business-friendly climate.

“The city of Louisville was great to work with. They were very welcoming and very responsive.”

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Louisville Mayor Chuck Sisk. “It is not just Louisville; it is the entire Boulder- Broomfield valley.” Among other big clean energy players nearby is the corporate office of RES Americas, which recently sold the Cedar Wind Farm project east of Denver for $500 million.

Vestas Technology is looking primarily for electrical and mechanical engineers, with open positions posted at monster.com or careerbuilder.com under the terms “Vestas Engineering & Products” or “Vestas in Louisville.”