Knight & Carver Wind Group
Wind blade fabricator and service producer for utility-scale wind plants.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Knight & Carver Wind Group, established in 1997 as the wind energy division of Knight & Carver YachtCenter, operated as a specialized manufacturer and service provider for wind turbine blades. The company catered to wind farm owners and operators across the United States, offering a comprehensive suite of services that included blade fabrication, repair, and refitting. Its service portfolio extended to on-site inspections, data collection, mechanical and electrical services, and mold and fixture fabrication. The firm's business model was centered on providing both manufacturing and full-service maintenance for utility-scale wind plants.
A significant milestone for the company was a 2008 private equity round of $12 million from Global Environment Fund, which fueled its expansion. This expansion included hiring nearly 100 employees and dispatching repair crews to over a dozen states. In 2006, the company announced plans to open a 26,000-square-foot blade repair and manufacturing facility in Howard, South Dakota, to better serve its Midwest clients. The company also engaged in research and development, notably completing the Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor (STAR) blade, a project in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy designed to increase energy capture in low-wind regions.
The parent company, Knight & Carver YachtCenter, was co-founded by John Knight and Hugo Carver and had a long history in vessel construction and repair. This marine expertise was foundational to the wind division's capabilities in composite structure fabrication and repair. In August 2007, the division was formally renamed from Knight & Carver Wind Blade Division to Knight & Carver Wind Group to reflect its broadening scope within the wind energy industry. In September 2010, the wind group was acquired by UpWind Solutions. Subsequently, Northern Power Systems acquired the assets of the community wind turbine blade manufacturing business from the group in November 2010. The parent yacht company later faced financial difficulties, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012, and its lease was acquired by Marine Group Boat Works in 2013.
Keywords: wind turbine blade manufacturing, blade repair services, wind farm maintenance, renewable energy components, composite blade fabrication, on-site wind services, utility-scale wind, wind energy engineering, blade inspection, STAR blade technology, wind turbine services, energy services, blade refit, wind power, energy equipment, Global Environment Fund, UpWind Solutions, Northern Power Systems, Knight & Carver YachtCenter, wind blade technology