Electro-Mechanical launches $16.5M expansion in Washington County

Electro-Mechanical — an electrical equipment manufacturer headquartered in Bristol — will invest $16.55 million to expand in Washington County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. 

“Electro-Mechanical’s significant expansion in Washington County demonstrates the strength of Southwest Virginia’s manufacturing sector and business climate,” Youngkin stated in a news release.

The company plans to add a 200,000-square-foot facility in Washington County, creating over 109 jobs, according to the governor’s office. Electro-Mechanical hopes to complete the expansion in 2025, according to spokespeople for the company. 

Electro-Mechanical also has three manufacturing facilities in Bristol, one in Canada and another in Mexico, they noted. About 520 of the company’s 700 employees work in Bristol.

“We are excited to once again be expanding our Bristol, Virginia, operations,” Howard Broadfoot, president and CEO of Electro-Mechanical, said in a statement. “We have experienced tremendous growth in our business over the past several years and this additional manufacturing capacity will allow us to better serve our customers for years to come.”

Electro-Mechanical’s roots date to 1958 when Frank Leonard opened an electrical apparatus repair shop on Bristol’s Williams Street, according to a company timeline.

Initially, the business primarily served the textile industry, but when a major client went out of business in the late 1960s, Electric Motor Repair and Sales refocused its business on serving the region’s mining industry. In 1971, the company changed its name to Electro-Mechanical and launched Line Power, a division providing electrical distribution and control apparatus.

Electro-Mechanical purchased Federal Pacific Transformer in 1986 and moved the company from Chicago to Bristol. That division offers dry-type transformers and medium-voltage switchgear.

Graycliff Partners, a New York investment firm, purchased Electro-Mechanical in 2021. The next year, Electro-Mechanical acquired Mirus International, a Canadian manufacturer of specialized power quality improvement products.

Graycliff Partners sold Electro-Mechanical to funds managed by California’s Oaktree Capital Management in March.

Virginia competed with Tennessee for the Electro-Mechanical expansion. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Washington County to secure the project for Virginia.

Youngkin approved a $300,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund, a state incentive to spur economic development, to assist Washington County with the project. Additionally, Electro-Mechanical is eligible for state benefits through the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, a state and local government partnership designed to promote job creation and investment. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, created by VEDP in collaboration with higher education participants, will provide recruitment and training services.