Water heater manufacturer will create 180 jobs in James City County

Navien Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of a South Korean manufacturer of water heaters and boilers, is setting up shop at the former Lumber Liquidators building in James City County, creating 180 manufacturing jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday.

This is the first U.S. manufacturing operation for KD Navien, which is headquartered in Seoul, and the company plans to invest $77.5 million in expanding the building to 900,000 square feet, about three times its current size of 315,000 square feet.

“Navien’s decision to locate its first U.S. manufacturing operation in James City County demonstrates the competitive advantage that Virginia offers to international companies looking to expand into new markets,” Northam said in a statement. “This project is an important win for the greater Williamsburg region and our commonwealth, as Navien will bring a key facility back into productive use, create 180 high-quality jobs, and utilize the nearby Port of Virginia as its gateway to the world.”

Lumber Liquidators moved its headquarters last November from Toano to Henrico County. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the county, the port and the Greater Williamsburg Partnership to secure Navien, which will receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program and VEDP’s Talent Accelerator Program, which will provide workforce training at no cost to the company. The company’s U.S. headquarters is in Irvine, California, and it has a training facility in New Jersey.

“The close proximity of this property to the Port of Virginia and the flexibility to expand and allow for Navien’s continued investment over time helped us make this decision,” Navien CEO Sangkyu Lee said in a statement. “Establishing an East Coast facility will support Navien’s growth and allow for faster delivery to primary eastern markets while balancing current shipments coming into California.”