Savannah, Georgia: Mitsubishi Power Puts $490 Million Into Its Pooler Turbine Plant, Adding 220 Jobs

Mitsubishi Power Americas will invest $490 million to expand its Savannah Machinery Works plant near Pooler, in Chatham County, and create more than 220 new jobs, Governor Brian Kemp announced on Friday, Oct. 23.

The company announced the expansion at a press conference at the plant on Friday morning. The project adds 450,000 square feet of manufacturing space, taking the site from about 430,000 square feet to about 880,000 square feet. The new space will manufacture parts for gas turbines, and the company said the work adds machining capacity, advanced manufacturing technology and upgraded production infrastructure, and improves material flow through the plant.

What the plant makes

Savannah Machinery Works sits at 1000 Pine Meadow Drive near Pooler. It manufactures components for advanced-class gas turbines, steam turbines and related power generation equipment. Its turbines generate electricity for providers across the Americas, including Georgia Power and other Southern Company utilities, according to local reporting on the announcement.

The new jobs cover manufacturing, engineering, quality control, maintenance, logistics and operational support, and the state announcement also lists operations, heavy machinery and technician roles. Brandon Bodie, vice president of Savannah Machinery Works, told the Savannah Morning News the new positions will require workforce training, with more detail on the jobs expected later.

Why the company picked Pooler again

"When we met with Mitsubishi Power and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Tokyo, we came away with a deeper understanding of how the company could continue growing in Georgia," Kemp said in the state announcement. "We are excited that the Savannah Machinery Works is expanding to turn those possibilities into reality."

Bill Newsom, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas, said meeting growing demand for power will take investment in facilities, in the supply chain and in the workforce. "This expansion strengthens American manufacturing and gives our people the advanced capabilities they need," he said.

Bodie said projects of this scale are typically years in the making, and that the company has been watching what he called a surge of power demand. He said the plant's existing operation in Pooler made the site a natural choice. Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, said Florida and Texas were also considered for the project, and called it a highly competitive win and the largest investment to date by Mitsubishi Power Americas. The announcement came with the signing of an expansion framework agreement between the company and the development authority.

A plant that has been in Chatham County since 2010

Mitsubishi announced the Pooler plant in 2009, a $325 million investment that created 500 jobs, the Savannah Morning News reported. The factory opened in 2010. "Savannah has been a critical hub for Mitsubishi Power since 2010, and we are excited to deepen our commitment to the local community with the expansion of Savannah Machinery Works," Bodie said.

Mitsubishi Power is a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Its products include gas, steam and aero-derivative turbines, geothermal systems and environmental controls.

What happens next

Tollison said local partners look forward to a groundbreaking ceremony to start the construction phase. The company did not disclose a target date for the expansion or its current workforce count in the announcement reporting. State partners on the project include the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Global Commerce team, Georgia Power and Georgia Quick Start, the state's workforce training program.