Transformer maker to open first US site in Colo.

[phantom power]

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. – A company that makes transformers that convert electricity from renewable energy sources to the grid plans to open its first U.S. plant in Wheat Ridge in January.

SGB USA Inc. is a subsidiary of Starkstrom-Geratebau, based in Regensburg, Germany.

General manager Kerwin Stretch said Wednesday that SGB chose the Denver suburb partly because of the area's high concentration of renewable energy manufacturers and researchers.

City officials say the company is a supplier to Danish wind-turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems, which has two plants in Colorado and is building two more.

SGB is expected to create six jobs and invest an estimated $1.4 million in the community. City officials say the company has indicated it could expand.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091119/ap_on_bi_ge/us_transformer_company_colorado

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. Raise you hand if you thought it was about this:

[FormerDittoHead]

3. Count me in. Damn company's run by Decepticons! Call them something ELSE like "converters"! n/t

[T Wolf]

4. Uh-huh. If only these T's were real. They could solve ALL our problems.

Let's just wait for their appearance - that'll happen before the Dems get enough seats to pass anything useful.

[ejpoeta]

2. i was hoping it was a company that transforms gas cars to electric.

i so want to have my husband do this with a vehicle.

[FormerDittoHead]

5. WAIT A MINUTE. WOW! *SIX* JOBS!! THE RECESSIONS' OVER! YIPPEE!

:sarcasm:

Personally, I'd like to see something like 6 MILLION new jobs, but the journey of a 1,000 miles...

[eleny]

6. "...and invest an estimated $1.4 million in the community:

That's a lot for Wheat Ridge, which is a pretty small town. Another article points out that they want to expand. So hopefully it will bring more for the town over time.

Recently, Wheat Ridge invested heavily in Cabella's plan to build a retail store there. Then that endeavor went completely belly up because of the economy. I hope this goes better for them.

[FormerDittoHead]

8. $1.4 is a lot? Really? It costs more to open a McDonald's and employs more people.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2073634_open-mcdonalds-franchise.html

But again, anything is better than nothing.

[eleny]

9. I live 3 blocks south of the town. 1.4M is a lot for them.

[phantom power]

7. BTW, one of the reasons I thought this was interesting was:

* Manufacturing capability in the world for EHV-class transformers continues to be limited relative to present market demand for these devices. Further, manufacturers would be unable to rapidly supply the large number of replacement transformers needed should the U.S. or other power grids suffer a major catastrophic loss of EHV Transformers.

* Manufacturers presently have a backlog of nearly 3 years for all EHV transformers (230 kV and above). The earliest delivery time presently quoted for a new order is early 2011.

* Only one plant exists in the U.S. capable of manufacturing a transformer up to 345 kV. No manufacturing capability exists in the U.S. at present for 500 kV and 765 kV transformers, which represent the largest group of At-Risk transformers in the U.S.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=195269&mesg_id=195269
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1206&tstamp=