Hitachi Energy announces $10 million expansion for Jefferson City factory
Watch Gov. Mike Parson speak during the event. EDITOR'S NOTE: The company is using tax incentives other than tax credits for the expansion.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Hitachi Energy announced on Tuesday plans to invest more than $10 million in its Jefferson City factory. The investment comes as the company wants to enhance its manufacturing potential to help with the demand of electrical transformers.
Factory manager Grey Callahan says, "to get those 200 units a day out the door we probably need to see two or three trucks go behind me within the next two hours to be on pact for that."
The company made the expansion announcement during a visit by Gov. Mike Parson. "Hitachi Energy's expansion in Jefferson City is an important development for the company and the State," Gov. Mike Parson said in a news release from Hitachi.
Hitachi Energy plans to use the investment to create a production line for larger distribution transformers. The new transformers are expected to be used for renewable power generation and for data centers.
The factory employs about 950 people and is going to add an additional 75 jobs that day $21 an hour,.
Parson says,"I mean that's a lot of people getting back into the workforce, putting food on the table getting ready to make sure they can help their families as the future goes forward."
The project is making use of state tax breaks under the Missouri Works program, which provides companies with state incentives for new jobs.
"I think in the last five years we've spent about $600,000 helping them on the workforce development pieces but I think those are some of the important tools that we have to make sure one to retain businesses in the state or expand them or bring new ones in," Parson said.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development says the new jobs being added will pay higher than the average in both Cole and Callaway counties.
Hitachi Energy is also celebrating its 50th anniversary in Jefferson City. The factory creates liquid-filled and submersible distribution transformers for the electric grid, commercial buildings and industrial facilities.
The company started operations at its more than 600,000 transformer manufacturing factory in 1972.
