Despite layoffs this week, Nova Scotia's Economic Development Minister says he's optimistic about the future of the DSTN wind tower manufacturing plant in Trenton.

"DSTN is experiencing what I would chalk up to as some growing pains. I still remain confident that the future is bright for them," Percy Paris said Saturday.

The subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering laid off 32 workers, a spokesman confirmed Friday.

The plant has received $70 million in federal and provincial funding.

The Nova Scotia government owns 49 per cent of the business.

"This is somewhat a new industry, and it's even newer here in Nova Scotia," Paris said.

"DSTN is a new player in the game, they have had some contracts, obviously they need more. It's a competitive global market and I think as DSTN's reputation grows, the longer that they stay around, I remain confident that they will serve rural Nova Scotia well."

The company will undergo some in-house maintenance and some of those employees may get work as a result, DSTN spokesman Brad Murray told Pictou County's The News.

DSTN recently announced a production partnership with Seaforth Energy Inc., a wind turbine manufacturer in Dartmouth.

As part of the agreement, Seaforth Energy will train DSTN staff to manufacture wind tower blades.

The company hopes the first blades will be ready by the end of March, Murray told the local newspaper.

Murray said DSTN has also approached some of its employees about training at a company plant in Korea for a month.