GE Renewable Energy has started to recruit some 100 managers, technicians and operators at its new offshore wind blades plant in Cherbourg, France, as the OEM steps-up plans for production of its Haliade-X turbine.

The company will offer each new employee a training and certification programme via ‘centres of excellence’ in France, Spain and Poland, in preparation for the prototyping phase for the 107-metre blade, currently slated to start at the Cherbourg plant in January 2019.