ERMCO to Expand in Dyersburg

The Electric Research Manufacturing Cooperative Inc. (ERMCO) is expanding in West Tennessee.

The project aims to boost transformer manufacturing capacity at the Dyersburg plant through three separate phases which will create 400 new jobs. It’s an effort to help the nation – including Tennessee’s electric co-ops – meet critical infrastructure needs while bringing new jobs to the region. The plan is supported by $54.1 million in tax credit financing from five lenders and will include the establishment of an employee training center.

“Electric cooperatives across the state depend on a steady supply of transformers and other equipment to maintain the electric grid,” Mike Knotts, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, said. “ERMCO’s announcement is exciting not only for improved supply chain, but also for the economic development and growth of the region.”

It is a sentiment shared by the team at ERMCO as well. “We’re helping to ensure a reliable and resilient electrical grid,” Adam Kruzich, the company’s CFO, said in a statement. “We’re proud to contribute to the economic growth of Dyersburg and play a vital role in building a sustainable energy future for the United States.”

ERMCO’s initiative is part of a growing trend, with multiple industrial players investing to address a power sector in need of more transformers. ERMCO is part of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. and is North America’s largest manufacturer of oil-filled distribution transformers. The company currently employs around 2,000 people, produces more than 9,500 transformers per week and has been in business in West Tennessee for more than 50 years.