UPDATE: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Inc. confirmed that they will be rehiring at their Fort Madison plant.

" We are continuing to invest in this facility by making capital improvements to install additional blade molds for new wind turbine models." said Kaile Gurney with Seimens, "We are now building 53-meter blades for the SWT-2.3-108 turbine, 59-meter blades for the SG 2.7-129 turbine, and 64-meter blades for the SG 3.4-132 turbine. To meet the increased production demands, we are in the process of recalling more than 100 employees."

A company that manufactures wind turbines says they will be laying off 195 people from their Fort Madison, Iowa plant.

The company opened this location in 2006.

According to a spokesperson from Siemens Gamesa, short-term business volume at this location doesn't support the existing workforce level.

Debra McDowell has a family member who is employed by the company and was not laid off.

"Everyone is still worried," McDowell says. "Everyone out there is worried they're going to have a job tomorrow."

Lee County Economic and Development Group says there are over 4,000 manufacturing jobs in the county which means 1 in 4 individuals work in this field.

"It's unfortunate for the economy," she adds. "I hope this doesn't devastate our community and I hope we can figure it out because wind energy is a good thing for the Midwest."

The plant is not closing and will continue to operate with about 400 employees.

Siemens says it has plans to recall employees who were laid off sometime within the next year.

The following is the company's official statement:

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy informed employees today about efforts to position the Fort Madison plant for future competitiveness. Business volume at this location through the 2018 fiscal year does not support the existing workforce level. While we remain strongly committed to the long-term viability of the U.S. wind market, a difficult decision has been made to adjust the Fort Madison workforce by about 195 employees. As a reflection of the importance of Fort Madison to our business strategy moving forward, we are making a significant capital investment at the plant to install additional blade molds for new wind turbine models.

We appreciate the professionalism and dedication of our valued employees, and we will assist them during this time of transition.

In North America, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has more than 10,000 wind turbines installed, which provide nearly 20 GWs of power, enough for over 6 million homes. The company continues to have a strong presence in manufacturing, maintenance, R&D, sales and other functions. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy looks forward to serving the North American market.

About SGRE’s Fort Madison site: Since opening in 2006, workers at the 600,000 square foot Siemens Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing facility in Fort Madison, Iowa have produced more than 15,000 IntegralBlades® delivered to projects in the Americas, Europe and Africa.