Gestamp Renewable Industries, a division of Gonvarri Steel Industries, has established its presence in the South African Renewable Energy components market by signing new joint venture agreements between its Gestamp Wind Steel and Gestamp Solar Steel divisions and South African industrial partners.
Gestamp Solar Steel, which specializes in the integration of solar solutions by developing metal structures for the solar industry, will set up a new manufacturing facility in Johannesburg by the end of 2012. The company aims to manufacture up to 350MW of PV and CSP per annum. The Wind Steel’s facility will be located in Cape Town.
Both manufacturing facilities will supply steel components to projects awarded as part of the company’s first round bidding process, assisting them to comply with the local content requirements stated in the agreed Initiative for Proliferation Prevention (IPP) program.
Javier Imáz, CEO of Gestamp Renewable Industries, said: “With these investments, Gestamp Renewable Industries reinforces its intentions to make South Africa a key market in its global strategy.
“With these manufacturing facilities we will be able to deploy and share our know-how with the local market,” he concluded.
Gestamp Solar, a division of Gestamp Renewable Industries, will also begin construction of its 18MW and 12MW Northern Cape solar projects, which were also awarded in the first round of the IPP program. Both projects are expected to be in operation by the end of 2013.
