EMERSON PLANS $130M EXPANSION IN SIDNEY
Firm will break ground this month on the first phase of construction.
Emerson announced plans for a $100 million renovation and expansion of labs and offices in its 1-million-square-foot facility in Sidney.
The project is expected to require $100 million in investments during the next four years. St. Louis-based Emerson will break ground this month on the first phase of construction, which will include building a two-story office addition onto the current facility, and converting existing space to new and expanded engineering laboratories.
“Emerson is committed to growing our global leadership position in the heating and cooling industry. To do that we need best-in-class facilities that provide our current employees a cutting-edge space to continue their critical work and that help us attract the next generation of engineers and scientists,” said Bob Sharp, executive president for Emerson’s Commercial and Residential Solutions business. “These facility improvements will enable us to develop next-level technology and solutions to meet our customers’ future needs.”
Emerson has about 1,600 employees in Sidney, making heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and climate control equipment. Officials said the planned renovated facility will facilitate cross-functional collaboration and provide an efficient, modern workplace. The investment is rooted in the company’s focus on creating an environment to attract tomorrow’s engineers, scientists and industry leaders.
A highlight of the project will be an upgraded, cutting-edge lab space to conduct advanced performance and refrigerant testing with its compressors and related products.
Construction of the new Emerson facilities in Sidney is being financed by a capital lease agreement with the Dayton-Montgomery County Port Authority. The project has also received support from JobsOhio, Shelby County and the city of Sidney. Construction is scheduled to be completed by 2021.
“Emerson Technologies’ investment in Sidney reaffirms the company’s commitment to innovation, customer service and its headquarters Western Ohio,” said Glenn Richardson, JobsOhio managing director for advanced manufacturing. “Once complete, the state-of-theart facility in Sidney that will help attract outstanding talent and keep Emerson a worldwide leader in the HVAC industry for years to come.”
The new construction projects in Sidney come one year after Emerson opened its Helix Innovation Center on the University of Dayton campus. The Helix Innovation Center is an industry-first effort funded by Emerson to spur research, collaboration and education across the heating and cooling manufacturing industries (also known as the HVACR industry).
Jerry Brunswick, executive director of the Port Authority, said the investment goes “beyond jobs and a dollar investment,” but is a reaffirmation that Emerson is an anchor for the Sidney and regional communities.
“This is going to make the headquarters a better and more attractive place to work, and it’s going to attract the best employees,” he said.
The renovated facility will help engineers to conduct research, development and testing to develop technologies for compressors, in addition to manufacturing Copeland Scroll compressors, which are found inside air conditioning systems for homes and commercial buildings, and in refrigeration systems at retailers, restaurants and other institutions worldwide.
Globally, Emerson has produced 150 million Copeland Scroll compressors and invested $1.5 billion in development of the technology. Sidney has been home of Emerson’s world-renowned Copeland compressors for air conditioning and refrigeration since 1937. The Sidney location serves as the company’s headquarters in the Americas for compressor technology and manufacturing.
Julie Sullivan, vice president of development for the Dayton Development Coalition, said the company has not estimated how many jobs will be brought to the region following the completion of the expansion and renovation.
“(Emerson) has a long, established place in the community,” Sullivan said. “They’re positioning themselves for the future. They want to portray a culture of innovation and collaboration.”