275 Clean Energy Jobs Coming To Milwaukee

Wisconsin Department of Commerce: Governor Doyle, Mayor Barrett Welcome Ingeteam Wind Manufacturing Facility to Milwaukee -

Governor Doyle, Mayor Barrett Welcome Ingeteam Wind Manufacturing Facility to Milwaukee

For Immediate Release: February 16, 2010
Contact: Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608-267-9661
Laura Smith, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162
Steve Kwaterski, Office of Mayor Barrett, 414-286-8504

Project will Create 275 Jobs, State Providing $5 Million in Assistance

MADISON - Governor Jim Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett today announced that Ingeteam, a Spanish wind company, will build a $15 million clean energy manufacturing facility in Milwaukee and create 275 jobs. Ingeteam will manufacture wind turbine generators and power converter and control systems for the wind and solar energy industries - combining Wisconsin's strengths in advanced manufacturing and clean energy.

"Ingeteam could have located their facility anywhere in the nation, but they chose Wisconsin because of our aggressive tax incentives, good business climate and our strong cooperation across all levels of government," Governor Doyle said. "The wind industry barely existed in Wisconsin a few years ago, but as we are proving again today, it is a big, growing part of our economy. Anyone who doesn't believe there are jobs in the clean energy economy will be able to walk into a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Menomonee Valley and see hundreds of people in manufacturing jobs putting together generators for wind turbines."

Governor Doyle's budget last year created some of the strongest economic development tools in the country to help businesses create jobs and get people back to work. The Governor's efforts have helped bring businesses like Ingeteam and thousands of new jobs to communities throughout Wisconsin. The Governor has also worked to improve Wisconsin's tax ranking and business climate. Today, the state ranks 30th in business taxes. These economic incentives were integral to the decision of Ingeteam to build in Wisconsin.

Governor Doyle today announced that the state is providing $5 million in assistance for the Ingeteam facility - including a $4.5 million JOBs tax credit and a $500,000 Wisconsin Development Fund loan. Ingeteam has also received $1.66 million in Recovery Act clean-technology manufacturing tax credits and will receive further assistance from the City of Milwaukee. Governor Doyle recognized the hard work of Mayor Barrett, Wisconsin's Congressional Delegation and the Milwaukee-7 in helping bring Ingeteam to Milwaukee.

Since taking office, Governor Doyle has advanced an aggressive agenda to position Wisconsin as a leader in a growing clean energy economy. Four years ago, Wisconsin became one of the first states to enact renewable portfolio standards. As a result, the state has spurred development in biomass, solar and wind. Wisconsin is now one of the leading producers of ethanol in the country and is home to more than 300 companies and thousands of jobs in the wind industry.

Last month, Governor Doyle launched the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a landmark legislative package to accelerate the state's clean energy economy and create jobs. The package calls for updating renewable portfolio standards to generate 25 percent of Wisconsin's fuel from renewable sources by 2025 and sets a realistic goal of a 2 percent annual reduction in energy consumption by 2015. Building a clean energy economy will help Wisconsin capture energy dollars and create good jobs. A comprehensive economic assessment of the package found that it would directly create at least 15,000 green jobs in Wisconsin by 2025.