Tower Manufacturing at Brownfield Port Location

 by Bruce Goodman

Groundbreaking occurred on March 30 at an industrial landfill at the Port of Monroe for a new wind tower manufacturing facility.   Ventower Industries is spending $19 million to build the 115,000 square foot plant. The company expects manufacturing to begin in March 2011, with a capacity of 250 towers per year.  Shipments to customers are expected to be primarily by barge.  Incentives helped Michigan win the project over a competing site in Toledo:  $2.5 million under ARRA; $3.7 million in MEDC employment credit; $5.8 million brownfield redevelopment credit; and 50 percent tax abatements from the city of Monroe together with infrastructure upgrades to the port.