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Representatives of the German wind turbine manufacturer Fuhrlander were on hand and pitched conceptual designs for a proposed assembly plant, informed of possible tax incentives for their project, and other valuable assets the Butte area can provide.

Since first announced in 2008, one obstacle after another seemed to put a roadblock between the city of Butte and a proposed Fuhrlander facility. However, with the economy on a road to recovery, Schweizter hailed a plane to bring representatives of the German copy on over to the Mining City.

With founder and owner Joachin Fuhrlander present, local leaders put on the full court press. Billings firm CTA presented conceptual designs for the proposed facility. Business leaders outlined the nearly $2 million in tax incentives for the company that they could only find in Montana. Whereas it seemed those in attendance were trying to sell Fuhrlander and his associates on the strength of industry in Montana, the owner and chairman reasserted his feelings on North American expansion.

At the conclusion of lunch, the group shuttled over to the proposed site in the industrial park shared by the Port of Montana and Seacast. Furhlander officials had requested 46 acres to construct a proper facility and 46 acres of land is what was presented, land owned by the city and ready for use. The land was across from the new Seacast production building and so the visitors toured the warehouse to learn of possible partnership opportunities in construction of turbines and components.

Schweizter pointed out the draw of vertical integration for Furhlander and the state of Montana, that is, turbines can be produced and maintained by Montana workers, dispersed to prairies in state, and the energy exported to other states in the country.

It was full day for the representatives of the multi-national corporation, having only arrived in Helena Wednesday night, but they're not gone with the wind yet. Chief Business Development Officer Evan Barrett has set up a tour of the supercomputer facility in Butte for Friday morning if Furhlander's schedule allows.