Hitachi Energy investing $479M in new London manufacturing facility

Hitachi Energy investing $479M in new London manufacturing facility

The Huron Industrial Park facility is expected to create more than 100 jobs and be completed by 2028

Hitachi Energy Canada is investing $479 million in a new manufacturing facility in London, Ont., that is expected to create more than 100 jobs.

The company says the 21,000-square-metre Transformer Insulation Centre will be built in Huron Industrial Park, with completion expected by 2028.

The facility will house Canada's first manufacturing line for transformer pressboard, an insulating material used in electrical transformers. The company says the project will help meet growing demand for electricity infrastructure while reducing reliance on foreign imports.

The Ontario government said the investment will strengthen North America's transformer supply chain as utilities expand and modernize electricity grids.

“Ontario is leading the largest energy buildout on the continent as part of our Integrated Energy Plan,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines, in a statement.

Carla Vicente, managing country director of Hitachi Energy Canada, said the facility will bring critical capability closer to home, strengthen domestic supply chains and support the infrastructure needed to meet growing electricity demand.

"The investment reflects our long-term commitment to Canadian industry, talent and innovation," said Vicente in a statement.

Hitachi Energy unveils new London, Ont., facility that's expected to create over 100 new jobs and strengthen North America’s transformer supply chain. (Kate Dubinski/CBC)

The federal government is contributing $30 million to the project, $20 million through the Strategic Response Fund and another $10 million through Natural Resources Canada.

The company says the new facility will be the largest of its kind globally and will be capable of producing up to 20,000 tonnes of pressboard annually.

The announcement builds on Hitachi Energy's existing operations in Ontario, including its acquisition of London-based Canduct Group and a recent $30-million investment in transformer repair, service and training at its Stoney Creek facility near Hamilton.