TPI Composites cuts production at Newton plant

TPI Composites announced Tuesday the company will slow its production schedule of wind turbine blades — cutting employees and shortening its manufacturing schedule from seven to five days.

The move will keep 80 temporary employees from becoming full time, according to a company statement. The facility will continue to employ about 320 full-time and temporary workers.

As part of a development agreement consummated with the City of Newton and Jasper County in 2007, TPI Composites agreed to have 500 jobs in place by Jan. 1 2011. If that goal isn’t met, the company could be subject to paying back a prorated portion of the incentives it received to locate the plant in northeast Newton.

Local officials remained confident this morning that TPI could reach 500 jobs by the end of 2010.

“Of course it’s disappointing,” Mayor Chaz Allen said this morning of the news. “They’re still confident they can meet their requirement of 500 employees and even exceed that is how they explained it to me.”

Community Development Director Brian Friedman agreed.

“They have another year and a half to build up to that total,” he said. “Hopefully this is just a temporary slow down in their overall growth path.”

TPI officials this morning did not return phone calls by press time seeking further comment on the situation.