Electric motor manufacturer coming to Montgomery County

Published October 7, 2014 by Robert Powell, III

InMotion, a manufacturer of motors and drives for electric and hybrid vehicles, plans to invest more than $5 million to establish its first U.S. manufacturing operations in Montgomery County.

The company, which will locate in the Technology Manufacturing Building in Blacksburg, expects to employ 80 employees in Montgomery County in three years.

Through a lease agreement with the Economic Development Authority (EDA) of Montgomery County, InMotion will occupy about 60,000-square-feet of office and manufacturing space at the Technology Manufacturing Building.

Built in 2001, the 109,000-square-foot facility is owned and managed by EDA.

InMotion, a subsidiary of Italy-based Zapi S.p.A.,  is a supplier of advanced software, power electronics, controls, motors and generators for electric vehicles.
With annual sales of more than  $105 million, it has more than 300 employees in offices in Europe, Virginia, Japan and China.

The company’s products are used by manufacturers of electric lift trucks, mobile off-highway vehicles, personal mobility devices, elevators, buses and refrigeration systems.

Montgomery County worked with the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, MBC Development Corp. and the Town of Blacksburg to support the project.