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Just a year after its initial foray into Georgia, an Italian provider of transformers is set to invest $15.3 million and hire 110 people at a new factory in Waynesboro over the next five years.
TMC Transformers USA Inc. has been present in the state since early 2023 and is expanding already thanks to increased demand for “dry-type transformers,” medium- and low-voltage devices installed in places where liquid cooling is not an option.
They’re used in data centers, mining operations, oil and gas, power generation facilities, railway substations and in other settings.
“Combining our expertise in the dry-type transformer industry with the needs of the U.S. market for accessible, reliable and sustainable energy, the launch of the new plant highlights TMC’s strategic plans for substantial growth in North America,” said Cristiano Palladini, president of TMC USA, in a news release.
With more than 500 employees globally, TMC hails from a northern Italian town called Busto Arsizio and was among the existing investors Gov. Brian Kemp called upon during his business mission to Italy in July.
In the news release, Mr. Kemp noted that the investment comes at a critical time for Burke County, just south of Augusta, which is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene.
The new plant is set to be up and running by early 2026; in the meantime, the company’s existing facility is working and the company is hiring for roles in management, administrative staff, production technicians, operators, testers, sales, and quality control, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
About 90 Italian companies operate in Georgia, with the largest concentration located in Gwinnett County. Their industries span from tomatoes to transformers and many in between. Italian projects the department has worked have accounted for $411 million in investment since 2010.
Luxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses with a warehouse and manufacturing operation in Henry County, is perhaps the largest single Italian employer, having announced an expansion in 2017 that brought its total jobs to more than 1,000. Italian firms overall employ about 5,000 in the state.
Find out more at https://tmctransformers.us.
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