Gearbox Express (GBX), along with wind energy industry leaders including Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), and state and local public officials, celebrated the official grand opening of its new 75,000 square-foot facility in Mukwonago, Wisconsin. Gearbox Express is the only company in North America that is focused on providing independent, down-tower, wind gearbox-remanufacturing services. “This is exciting news,” said Tom Kiernan of AWEA. “Two-thirds of the value of an American wind farm is made-in-the-USA. A robust U.S. supply chain, in particular a thriving operations and maintenance sector, will be critical to quadrupling American wind power to 20 percent of the grid by 2030, and saving consumers money while doing it. “We’ve been saying all along that stable policies for clean energy will keep U.S. factory jobs and create new ones. AWEA welcomes this new Gearbox Express plant to the over 500 manufacturing facilities in 43 states that are part of our clean energy success story.” Gearbox Express launched in 2012 and was quickly seen as a disruptor in the industry with its strict focus on aftermarket infrastructure. “When we launched, all we saw was opportunity. There are more than 50,000 active turbines in the United States and it’s a fact that the gearboxes will need replacing during their lifetime,” said Bruce Neumiller, CEO of Gearbox Express. “The wind farm owners want their investments to keep running and for us to help protect and manage their assets. Demand exceeded all of our expectations and here we are today—officially opening our new headquarters which is twice the size of our first space, with room to grow.” The three wind industry vets attracted millions of dollars of investment capital along with a $3.4 million low interest, revolving loan from the Wisconsin State Energy Program. “The people at GBX had a vision from day one,” said Ron Lyons. “They developed a business model that helped address a critical economic issue by bringing wind turbines back on-line much faster. They rooted their business in speed, quality and customer service and took it up a notch by adding innovation, industry-leading improvements and education. They saw a need for better parts, so they developed them. They saw a need for highly trained technicians, so they educated them at the GBX School. They saw a need for a better gearbox, so they invented Revolution. They simply get things done.” Gearbox Express’s climate-controlled facility offers two highly-flexible, technologically- advanced test stands that “rival any in the world,” according to Neumiller. Gearbox Express technicians remanufacture the gearboxes to the latest revision level and then conduct a rigorous load test on its regenerative test stand. GBX also keeps an inventory of remanufactured gearboxes and its proprietary gearbox, Revolution, in its GBXchange program to allow for immediate swap-outs of gearboxes when they’re being removed from the turbine. The company also has reserves of universal and proprietary parts that ship worldwide. “We are truly gearbox guys,” said Bruce Neumiller. “Our careful industry analysis work showed a clear need for an advanced company providing dedicated gearing, bearing and gearbox expertise. The industry was desperate for a company that uses the very best equipment and parts, hires the best people and provides the best service. That is where Gearbox Express comes in and that is why we will continue to succeed.”