Meiden America Switchgear announces expansion

Meiden America Switchgear finalized a $9.2 million expansion at its Laurens County location that will create 43 new jobs.

The Laurens County Council approved third and final reading of a fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement (FILOT) at its Monday night meeting to officially move the company’s investment forward. Meiden, known as a “pioneer in high-performance vacuum technology,” was founded and opened its Gray Court headquarters in 2020. The company manufactures, tests and sells high-voltage vacuum circuit breakers and vacuum interrupters.

“We’re excited to invest in our people, our products and Laurens County,” said Meiden President Hiro Takeshita. “This expansion reflects our dedication to innovation, our commitment to help our customers reduce their environmental impact and strengthen the electrical grid of the U.S. and Canada. It also positions us to meet increasing demand.”

Meiden, a susbsidiary of the Toykyo-based Meidensha Corporation, will expand its Gray Court facility by 37,000 square feet to accommodate several new product lines and its office space by 7,500 square feet.

“Laurens County continues to be a place where business thrives,” said Laurens County Council Chairman Jeff Carroll. “We would like to congratulate Meiden America Switchgear, Inc. on their success and continued growth. They are a very valuable member of our corporate community, and we look forward to continuing our partnership into the future.”

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $150,000 Set-Aside grant to Laurens County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.

The expansion is expected to be completed in May of next year.