The Fabricator - July 2010

IN THE KNOW

urce

News and information from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International®

Manufacturing Wind Power

FMA Conference to Concentrate on Wind Energy Opportunities for Suppliers

As the fastest-growing industry in North America, wind energy is a huge opportunity for custom manufacturers. To help fabricating and machining shops navigate the waters of expanding into new markets, the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (FMA) is sponsoring a Wind Energy Conference Aug. 31–Sept. 1 at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The program is dedicated to helping precision manufacturers identify and capitalize on opportunities in the wind energy supply chain.

Dale Reckman, director of field services for the Great Lakes WIND Network™ (GLWN), will kick off the conference on Aug. 31 by providing attendees with some basic knowledge about the components in a wind turbine. Participants can then see wind turbine assembly up-close with a tour of the Acciona Windpower-Wind Turbine Generator Assembly Plant in West Branch.

Day two will begin with an in-
dustry outlook presented by Jeff An-
thony of the American Wind Energy
Association (AWEA), followed by a
procurement panel discussion. Pro-
curement Officers Perry Wozney of
Acciona Windpower North America,
Jason DeGroot of Clipper Windpower
Inc., and Gene Cuenot from Vestas
Nacelles A/S will answer questions
about procurement procedures. Ad-
ditional sessions will address material
handling, cutting, machining, plate
rolling, welding, and inspection.

Jeff Anthony of AWEA answers participants’ questions during the 2009 conference.

Attendees enjoy the networking reception at the end of last year’s event.

www.fmanet.org

METAL FABRICATION

FMA’s best-selling Metal Fabrication is now available in a brand-new edition. This updated edition includes sections on laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and robotics.