BLAND COUNTY, Va. – Hitachi Energy is investing $22.5 million to expand its current facility in Bland and to add a warehouse facility in Atkins, creating 120 new jobs as a result.
The manufacturer is known for providing electrical grid infrastructure to customers in the utility, industry, transportation, data center and infrastructure sectors. The goal of the expansion is to meet increased demand.
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“Hitachi Energy’s investment in the new Atkins facility and the transformative modernization of the Bland plant is a powerful endorsement of Virginia’s manufacturing capabilities,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This world-class company’s investment in Southwest Virginia is not only expanding domestic transformer production, but also creating high-quality, skilled jobs and driving innovation in energy infrastructure. Hitachi Energy is a trusted, long-term partner with Virginia, and together we are growing a hub of energy innovation and infrastructure advancement.”
Hitachi Energy began operating in Bland in 1972 and currently employs approximately 450 people there who are responsible for designing and manufacturing medium-voltage, dry-type transformers. These transformers are then used to adjust and stabilize the voltage of electricity flowing through the United States’ power grids.
Hitachi Energy worked with Bland and Smyth Counties, as well as the Mount Rogers Regional Partnership, to secure the project for Virginia.
This project comes after a $6.2 million expansion in 2021 that provided additional production capacity and created 40 new jobs.