Skykon buys Vestas wind turbine unit for £45 million

Investor in wind energy sysytems, Skykon of Denmark has taken over the troubled wind turbine unit of Vestas in Kintyre, Scotland, through its subsidiary Welcon, a leader in wind tower manufacture for £45 million ($65 million)

Vestas is the the world's biggest supplier of wind power with over 38,000 installations.

The deal would protect jobs of about 100 skilled workmen and create additional opportunity for another 300 over the next two years, through large scale expansion of the wind turbine unit at Machrihanish near Campbeltown, a remote corner in the Kintyre peninsula in the western part of Scotland. 

Last August Vestas announced its intention to close the unit as the company's earnings were not satisfactory.

Skykon will invest £35 million along with the £9.7 million government funding (including £9.2 million of regional selective assistance money and £0.5 million from Highlands and Islands Enterprise), to manufacture onshore and offshore wind turbines to the international market.

The first minister Alex Salmond said the deal is particularly important amid the current economic crisis, which would create full employment for the area and is a huge leap forward in transforming Scotland into a world leader in renewable energy.