Unison, a North Yorkshire, UK-based tube bending machine manufacturer, recently announced plans to open a new advanced manufacturing facility in Danville, Virginia. The $5.2 million plant will create dozens of new jobs in the area and support the company’s recent growth and product demand.
According to the company, the new location will bring their operations closer to a growing customer base, as well as enable the placement of a Made in America label on their machines. Unison is best known for having invented the all-electric tube bending machine and has pledged to create new and complementary products for manufacture at the Virginia location.
Although the skills gap currently impacting U.S. manufacturing continues to hinder growth in some areas, Unison cited access to a highly technical labor force as playing a key role in their decision to build in the Danville area. This move would mesh with the company’s focus on investing much of their R&D budget over the last 36 months on robotics, laser cutting, and embedding new and faster software-based controls.
Unison also noted how the Virginia location would help elevate customer service and product support. The company already operates a U.S.-based tube bending training school, which the new facility can help support.