RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that ABB, Inc. will expand its liquid-filled transformer manufacturing facility in Halifax County. Through a $3-million investment, the project will create 25 new jobs and preserve 350 existing South Boston ABB jobs. Virginia successfully competed with locations in Oregon and China for the project.
“During my European trade mission in May 2003, I met with senior ABB officials in Zurich, Switzerland to discuss the importance of this facility to Halifax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Governor Warner. “ABB’s decision to expand in South Boston creates 25 new jobs and preserves hundreds of existing jobs for Virginia’s Southside region.”
ABB (www.abb.com) is a global leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industrial customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impacts. The ABB Group of companies operates in approximately 100 countries and employs about 133,000 people worldwide. ABB operates two manufacturing facilities in Virginia – one in Bland County and one in Halifax County – employing more than 600 Virginians. At the Halifax County facility, ABB manufactures liquid-filled power transformers.
“The South Boston plant was selected for the employees’ commitment to quality, service and continuous improvement,” said Milt Axton, ABB Inc. Vice President and General Manager, Small Power Transformers. “This expansion is continued evidence of customers’ preference for the quality of ABB’s products and the service provided by its employees in Virginia.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority assisted ABB with its decision to expand. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $50,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds to support Halifax County with the project. The company will take advantage of the Virginia Department of Business Assistance’s Workforce Services Program. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance also helped ABB obtain $50,000 in funding from the Region 8 Workforce Investment Board.