Table of Contents

WINDPOWER 2009: Through the Eyes of an OEM

GLWN Database and Mapping System Up and Running

GLWN Booth Sizzles at WINDPOWER 2009

Upcoming GLWN
Speaking Engagements

June 23-24, 2009
Wind Commerce 2009 Conference
Norman, OK

July 7, 2009
Wind Supply Chain Workshop
Springfield-Joplin, MO

July 21-22, 2009
WIndiana 2009
Indianapolis, IN

WINDPOWER 2009: An OEM's Viewpoint

Like many of the wind turbine OEMs exhibiting at WINDPOWER 2009 this past month in Chicago, Wigberto (Will) Narvaez, Purchasing Officer for German wind turbine manufacturer Nordex, had an especially busy time. AWEA reported attendance for the event at over 23,000, and according to Will, he thinks that at one point or other he may have met more than half of them. GLWN caught up with Will after the show, and here's what he had to say:

GLWN: What surprises you most about sourcing for the wind industry?

NARVAEZ: It's the interest from so many companies to diversify and become a supplier to the wind industry. At WINDPOWER there was so much traffic and qualified people everywhere. I've been to many trade shows before, but this was a first: the interest and the excitement were very encouraging.

GLWN: Here's a question I think everyone wants to ask. What do you do with all those business cards?

NARVAEZ: I take each new contact very seriously, and when we first meet I try to give each person two to three minutes to present their goods and services. Afterwards, I classify the cards into those that are most promising and likely to be able to help with our current needs. Then, over time, I'll contact companies for more detailed discussions. But before those can go to the next step, a non-disclosure agreement will be sent to be signed. It's a requirement because we can't have technical discussions without firm guarantees and protection of our intellectual property.

GLWN: What is the biggest issue you encounter with potential new suppliers?

NARVAEZ: The approach to Quality by potential suppliers. The wind industry is different from other industries in that we do not produce items in the thousands. In wind, our needs are for a precious few, and each component has to be perfect. Wind Turbines are investment goods that need to operate reliably and continuously for more than 20 years. Nordex has narrow, defined, precise tolerances that need to be met, and failure to do that could be catastrophic.

GLWN: This sounds like a critical area for supplier screening.

NARVAEZ: It is. Sometimes I meet manufacturers with impressive capabilities, companies that can do wind. But if they don't have the processes in place to ensure that every single piece is made to the standards required, then they are missing a critical piece of the puzzle. They may have the right equipment but not the mentality required for producing a quality product.

Part of my job involves helping to evaluate new suppliers, and I am sometimes surprised by the number who don't understand what it takes to become a supplier for wind. In a way, we find ourselves becoming teachers and facilitators for emerging companies as they learn our requirements.

GLWN: Any other advice for potential suppliers?

NARVAEZ: When we screen, sometimes we group companies into three groups: those who already do wind, those who potentially can do wind, and those who are interested but may not be willing to make a long-term commitment to this industry.

GLWN: Why is making a long-term investment so important?

NARVAEZ: At Nordex, we are looking to develop partners that we can depend on for a number of years, suppliers we can depend on to grow with us. So we want people whose investment in wind will be sustainable and are willing to make a long-term commitment to this industry. We select these every time over others who have might have a short-term need that wind could fill for only a period of time.

GLWN Launches Web-Based Wind Supply Chain
Database and Mapping System

The system was developed to give users the ability to quickly identify and connect to a customer or supplier in the wind supply chain. Access is free and available 24 hours a day. To date there are over 900 manufacturers listed, representing the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Users can search by company name or industry sector. To find out which manufacturers are working in wind today, users can search by "Active" in the wind industry versus "Emerging."

Get Listed: register your manufacturing facility with GLWN and
Get Connected: via the wind supply chain database and mapping system!

If you have questions about the system, contact Dee Holody at 216.588.1440 ext. 126.

WINDPOWER 2009 Draws Record-Breaking Crowd

The GLWN pavilion was also hot. Thirteen companies with capabilities across the supply chain spectrum joined us as exhibitors:

1. Advance Industrial Manufacturing, Inc.
2. AFCo Precision
3. AVL
4. Coleys CNC Machining Inc.
5. Columbus McKinnon
6. Infinite Energy Manufacturing, LLC
7. McSwain Manufacturing
8. National Machinery
9. Proper Aerospace & Machining
10. Service Guide, Inc.
11. Stork Materials Technology
12. The Superior Die and Tool Machine Co.
13. Xtek Inc.

Also in the GLWN Pavilion to promote GLWN companies was a representative from Dix & Eaton, a Cleveland-based communications consulting firm. Thank you to everyone who exhibited for making our space shine!

In addition to the exhibition hall, GLWN's presence was also felt in the conference portion of the event. On Monday, as part of the Wind Power Supply Chain Workshop, GLWN's Matt Garran spoke on the Anatomy of a Wind Turbine. Director Ed Weston spoke on Building a Wind Components Industry in America at Wednesday's conference.

We're already planning ahead for WINDPOWER 2010 in Dallas, Texas. If you're interested in joining us next year, contact Pamela Holmes at 216.588.1440 ext 104.