Sales of wind towers made in Manitowoc and Texas rose 48% in the second quarter for Broadwind Energy Inc., the firm said Friday.

Sales of wind towers totaled $24.5 million in the second quarter, up $8 million, or 48%, from last year. For the first six months of the year, sales were nearly doubled, to $52.7 million from $28.6 million.

Broadwind Energy is based in Naperville, Ill., and operates the tower factory in Manitowoc formerly known as Tower Tech. That factory produced towers now under construction for the We Energies wind farm northeast of Madison, the Glacier Hills Wind Park. It also built the towers for the Shirley Wind farm that opened last year south of Green Bay.

Towers accounted for nearly two-thirds of the sales for Broadwind Energy, which also operates gearing and service businesses that serve the wind market as well as the oil and gas industry. That side of the business is growing with a surge in domestic oil and gas production.

Overall, Broadwind reported its loss narrowed in the quarter. After the results were announced, the company's stock fell 39 cents Friday to 95 cents a share.

During an investor conference call, Peter Duprey, Broadwind's chief executive, said he considers the company "well positioned on the tower side" to pick up business as wind developers move to build projects by the end of 2012, when wind energy production tax credits are slated to expire.

Broadwind specializes in making heavier and taller towers that are increasingly being installed at wind farms around the country.