Virginia Transformer announced plans on May 19, 2026, to construct a new power transformer manufacturing facility at the Shoals Research Airpark in Colbert County, Alabama. The company said construction will begin immediately on the 90-acre site, with the plant scheduled to become operational in January 2028. The new facility will add 1,100 jobs upon reaching full production capacity.
What it means
The new plant will cover 600,000 square feet and produce power transformers ranging from 2 MVA to 500 MVA. It will be Virginia Transformer’s seventh facility in North America, extending the design and technology used at its 500 kV factory in Rincon, Georgia. The Alabama site includes a dedicated Norfolk Southern rail spur, an on-site training center, digital manufacturing dashboards, a real-time customer portal, and automated warehousing. According to the company, the facility will serve utilities, data centers, renewable energy, industrial, mining, oil and gas, commercial, institutional, and specialty markets in the United States and Canada.
Virginia Transformer is also expanding its Georgia Transformer manufacturing facility in Rincon, Georgia. The company said that expansion will increase installed capacity by 50 percent and is scheduled for completion in March 2027. Norfolk Southern Vice President Stefan Loeb noted that the Alabama site has a platinum REDI designation and utilizes the Growing Alabama Tax Credit program.
Key facts
- Location: Shoals Research Airpark, Colbert County, Alabama
- Size: 600,000 square feet on 90 acres
- Production range: 2 MVA to 500 MVA power transformers
- Jobs: 1,100 employees at full production
- Timeline: Construction begins immediately; operational January 2028
- Facility count: Seventh North American plant for Virginia Transformer
- Rincon, GA expansion: 50 percent capacity increase, completing March 2027
- Incentives: Growing Alabama Tax Credit; platinum REDI designation
Source: Virginia Transformer news release (PR Newswire)