Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. to invest $46M in Virginia Beach expansion

Virginia Beach-based Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. will invest $45.8 million to expand its operations, with plans to add 350 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday.

Acoustical Sheetmetal is a manufacturer of steel and aluminum enclosures for the power generation industry, providing on-site power integration for large-scale data centers. It plans to build an additional 250,000-square-foot building and add significant machinery on 21.1 acres of land it purchased at the Virginia Beach Innovation Park from the City of Virginia Beach. About 17.5 acres of the land are developable.

“This next phase of our expansion will allow us to continue to execute our strategy as the leader in power generation integration, again doubling our capacity in a very dynamic and fast-paced environment supporting the data center industry,” ASC CEO Margaret Shaia said in a statement.

Once construction is complete, ASC will have more than 550,000 square feet of production space. The company did not immediately return requests for comment.

Youngkin says this marks the third expansion by Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. in six years, which he described as “a testament to the strength of our local workforce and the pro-business environment we’ve worked hard to create.”

Acoustical Sheetmetal announced plans in 2020 to establish its headquarters and a second manufacturing facility in the city’s Innovation Park. The first expansion included a 100,000-square-foot facility and the second expansion, which was completed in 2024, added an additional 135,000 square feet.

“Three hundred and fifty new jobs mean hundreds of new opportunities for Virginia families, and I’m proud to support the continued growth of the manufacturing industry in the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Great homegrown companies like ASC continue to see Virginia as the place to grow and build their future.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance on the project and Youngkin approved a $1.75 million grant from the city with this project. The Virginia Beach government provided a $921,869 land purchase discount, and the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development provided a local cash grant of $828,130.

Founded in 1994 in Virginia Beach, ASC offers sound-attenuated and weather-protective packaging for on-site power generation equipment. It currently has two campuses in Virginia Beach — its 5.5-acre original campus on Production Road, featuring 75,000 square feet of manufacturing space and an 11,000-square-foot storage facility, and a 23-acre campus on Hudome Way, which includes 235,000 square feet of manufacturing space and a 5-acre storage facility.

The company employs more than 500 people, with employees including certified welders, licensed electricians and machinists, as well as an engineering design team.