The new manufacturing site will create more than 120 jobs to Manistee over the next three years.
Manufacturing will take place in a auto parts automation manufacturing facility and will employ former auto industry workers who have prior experience working with steel, building auto assembly lines and auto robotics.
The 30,000 square-foot facility will enhance the precision and quality control of the manufacturing process. Materials for the Windspire, such as steel and aluminum, will be supplied by local Michigan companies.
The Windspire, the first product from Mariah Power, is a small-scale vertical axis wind turbine designed to power homes or businesses. Standing just 30 feet tall, Windspire features a plug ‘n produce design and connects directly to the power supply of the building, offsetting electricity use and reducing energy costs. Windspire produces about 2000 kWh of electricity annually in 12mph average winds, enough to power about 25% of the average US home. The unit’s sleek and aesthetically pleasing design allows it to blend in well with a variety of settings, making it an ideal renewable energy option for home and business owners.
Mariah Power and Michigan’s Alliance for Economic Success, the economic development organization for Manistee County and strategic partner in introducing Mariah Power to MasTech, will host plant tours and a community celebration during the grand opening. Governor Granholm is scheduled to speak at the festivities. To coincide with the plant opening, a Windspire will be installed at the governor’s residence in Lansing, Michigan.
“As we continue our efforts to diversify and grow our state’s economy, we are proud to celebrate the opening of the Windspire manufacturing facility and the new energy jobs this will create in northern Michigan,” said Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. “This investment puts us at the forefront in the production of renewable energy to end U.S. dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels.”
“Opening our first large-scale production site in Manistee gives us the capabilities to take the Windspire technology to the next level,” said Mike Hess, chief executive officer of Mariah Power. “The experience of the people here and the technology we have in place at Mas-Tech will make a product that is best in class.”
