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$100 million Investment to start Schott Solar Plant in Alburquerque
By
Brett Bumeter | January 16, 2008
It will require $100 million just to get it off the ground and won’t start until 2009, but Schott Solar Inc will build a manufacturing facility in Alburquerqe, New Mexico.
Forest City Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:FCEA)(NYSE:FCEB) announced today that SCHOTT AG, a global leader in glass and optics and one of the largest solar technology manufacturers in the world, will build a 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility for SCHOTT Solar, Inc., its wholly owned subsidiary, on 80 acres at Mesa del Sol, a 12,900 acre mixed-use project in Albuquerque, NM. SCHOTT Solar Selects Mesa del Sol for New Solar Manufacturing Plant
The project will initially bring 350 new jobs to the state of Presidential candidate and current Governor, Bill Richardson. Once the plant is up and running it will provide jobs for about 1500 people.
While other states in the rust belt are still cleaning up after less than clean manufacturing endeavors, notably many that triggered problems with asbestos and brought on cases of mesothelioma in workers, New Mexico under Richardson’s leadership is hoping to become as clean and environmentally friendly as possible.
The press release on the announcement goes on to give some background on the players involved in this deal:
SCHOTT is a privately held, 120-year old company that is a world leader in high-tech glass and glass-ceramics. SCHOTT is one of the largest solar manufacturers in the world, with operations in 41 countries and almost 17,000 employees. It is only one of two companies worldwide that manufactures solar receiver tubes, which are the most critical component of concentrated solar plants. The company has sales of approximately $3 billion.
About Mesa del Sol
Mesa del Sol is a 12,900-acre mixed-use district located on Albuquerque’s south mesa. By combining job creation and sustainable urban community planning, Mesa del Sol will reflect a balance of environmental resources, economic objectives and social amenities in a community that is forward-looking with a highly defined sense of place.
Mesa del Sol is a true public/private partnership. In addition to Forest City Covington, NM, LLC, Mesa del Sol is being developed in conjunction with other partners, including the New Mexico State Land Office, the University of New Mexico, with the support of the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and the State of New Mexico.
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