On December 1, Trina Solar, a global leader in smart solar products and energy solutions, hosted a celebration for its new 1.35 million square foot solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility with community members, partners, and local and state officials in Wilmer, Texas. The company is investing more than $200 million in property and equipment and the facility will provide 1,500 local jobs.
The event offered a unique opportunity to network, hear from the Trina team, and get a first look inside the new state-of-the-art facility. The event was attended by over 160 guests and featured keynote speakers, including State Rep. Carl Sherman, D-DeSoto; John Wiley Price, Dallas County Commissioner; Sheila Petta, Wilmer Mayor; Dr. Joseph Seabrooks, President of Dallas College; Steve Modory, Co-Managing Partner of Champion Partners; and Steven Zhu, President of Trina Solar US.
Following this event, Trina attended the City of Wilmer's annual holiday tree lighting ceremony and participated in Wilmer’s Initiative to Spread Hope (WISH) holiday program aimed to support families during the Christmas season by adopting 20 Wilmer Stars, which impacts 20 children.
“We were thrilled to bring together this group of leaders and community members to celebrate our commitment to the City of Wilmer and the clean energy industry,” said Steven Zhu, President of Trina Solar. “This facility represents a significant investment in American manufacturing that will bolster the U.S. solar market in addition to positioning Texas as a leader in the transition to a sustainable future. We are grateful to the City of Wilmer and look forward to the many accomplishments our partnership will bring.”
The facility is expected to be completed in 2024 and, once operational, will produce innovative large power output Vertex modules using the 210mm large size wafer utilizing and manufacturing techniques and technologies pulled from over 26 years of experience.
Quotes from event speakers and partners:
Sheila Petta, Wilmer Mayor
The celebration exemplified the power of partnership and how much stronger this region is with collaboration of unity. And it was gratifying to hear and meet the Trina Solar officials. We are looking forward to continuing to grow our relationships and excited to have the first solar manufacturing facility in the U.S., located in the City of Wilmer.
Steve Modory, Co-Managing Partner, Champion Partners
With just over 1.35 million square feet, Tradepoint 45 West is the largest speculative industrial development ever built in Dallas, much less the State of Texas. While it feels great to build such a unique and large project, it only truly can be considered a success if you can find a company to occupy it; a company like Trina Solar that will make a significant capital investment, that will create thousands of jobs, and that will generate significant tax revenue here locally in Wilmer and Dallas County.
Drew Romans, Vice President, Manufacturing Market, Gray
Gray is extremely proud to partner with Trina Solar on this solar manufacturing assembly plant and warehouse. This project will positively impact the solar industry, the state of Texas, and the American economy, and it was our honor to stand by our friends at Trina for their community event.