Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm visiting Merrill Tool and Machine earlier this week

Michigan company Merrill Tool and Machine is expanding into the wind energy industry, developing a facility to produce large-scale wind turbine blades and components.

The company based near Saginaw received a visit from state Governor Jennifer M Granholm on Tuesday, to reveal its plans for the advanced composite manufacturing plant.

It is to receive $22 million in tax credits under the federal Recovery Act advanced manufacturing program (called a 48c tax credit) towards the new facility.

The tax credits have funded the equipment necessary to produce utility-scale wind turbine components suitable for 2.2MW turbines produced by Vermont manufacturer Northern Power.

The Northern Power machines are direct drive, permanent magnet wind turbines, which reduce the need for maintenance because they don’t have gearboxes.

“Success stories”

On her visit, Governor Granholm said: “Recovery Act funding is assisting our ongoing efforts at the state level to diversify Michigan’s economy and create new jobs in clean-energy manufacturing. I want to thank the Michigan congressional delegation for making success stories like Merrill possible through their work on the 48c tax credit.”

Merrill developed test prototypes of its wind turbine components last year, thanks to a $3 million grant from the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.

The full-scale plant should see production beginning this July.