Condair invests $57.2M on new Chesterfield County plant

Switzerland-based Condair Group, a manufacturer of commercial and industrial humidification systems, will invest $57.2 million to establish a new production facility in Chesterfield County that is expected to create 180 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. 

The company will convert a pre-existing warehouse facility on 1410 Willis Road into a manufacturing facility, according to Horace Wynn, chief operating officer for Condair’s North American operations. The 400,000-square-foot plant is expected to open in early 2025, the governor’s news release said. 

Initially, workers at the Chesterfield County facility will focus on manufacturing products to to assist with large-scale industrial cooling needs of the data center industry, Wynn wrote in a statement to Virginia Business. 

“However, as we build out the facility, other Condair products may be manufactured and assembled at this location as well,” he stated.

“The establishment of the Richmond site will not only bolster our production capabilities but also facilitate closer engagement with our clients, particularly in the data center sector,” Oliver Zimmermann, CEO of Condair, said in a statement. “Together with our existing sites in Racine, Wisconsin, and Ottawa, Canada, we are fortifying the Condair network to better serve our clientele across the continent.”

Condair found “the strength of the Richmond available workforce” appealing “along with the proximity to multiple data center locations for both current and future partnerships,” according to Wynn.  

Condair will find international neighbors in the Richmond region. In 2023, Netherlands-based ISO Group, which automates labor-intensive tasks in the horticultural industry, announced it would establish its first U.S. assembly and distribution facility in Chesterfield County. Also last year, the Weidmüller Group, which is based in Germany, unveiled plans for a $16.4 million expansion in Chesterfield County. The Lego Group, based in Denmark, expects to begin production at its $1 billion Chesterfield manufacturing facility in 2027. 

“When an international brand like Condair makes the decision to locate in Virginia the positive ripple-effects of economic investment, job creation and cargo growth are felt throughout the Commonwealth,” Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, stated in the release. “The Port of Virginia will be among the beneficiaries of Condair’s location in Chesterfield County, which is not far from Richmond Marine Terminal.”

Founded in Switzerland in 1948, Condair has production sites in Europe, North America and China, as well as sales and service organizations in 23 countries. Its major customers include Amazon Web Services and Microsoft. 

Condair plans to transfer its current production operations from Center, Texas, to Richmond by 2026, according to a news release distributed by the company. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Chesterfield County and the Greater Richmond Partnership to secure the project for the commonwealth. Virginia competed against South Carolina for the project.

Youngkin approved a $700,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Chesterfield County with the project. Additionally, Condair is eligible to receive state benefits from the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new, full-time jobs created, as well as benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program.  

The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a program created by the VEDP that provides recruitment and training services, will support Condair’s job creation.