The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced on Wednesday two new economic investment projects are underway in the Volunteer State that are expected to create 175 new jobs in total.
Kewpie Corporation is investing $65.2 million to expand its U.S. subsidiary, Q&B Foods, by establishing new operations in Clarksville, while Hitachi Zosen Inova USA LLC is investing $6.6 million to expand operations at its Knoxville-based North American headquarters, according to TNECD.
With the expansion of its second Q&B Foods facility, Kewpie will create 85 new jobs in Montgomery County. Kewpie is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and is the country’s leading manufacturer of mayonnaise, salad dressings, sauces, marinades, and other related products
.@kewpieusa will invest $65M to expand its U.S. subsidiary, Q&B Foods, and establish new operations in Clarksville.
Kewpie, Japan's leading mayonnaise brand, will create 85 new jobs in Montgomery County, increasing its condiment production nationwide. https://t.co/L5Y5JMPsZr pic.twitter.com/uEPNMuoZ2s
— TNECD (@TNECD) November 9, 2022
“Kewpie’s decision to locate its second U.S. facility in Tennessee is a testament to our state’s successful and longstanding economic development partnership with Japan,” TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter said in a statement. “We appreciate this global brand for choosing to do business in Clarksville and look forward to the future growth and prosperity that this project will create in Montgomery County.”
Meanwhile, HZI USA, which relocated its North American hub from Georgia to Tennessee in 2020, will create 90 new jobs in Knox County which will support the company’s engineering, procurement, and construction projects, as well as its project developments.
HZI USA is the Swiss-based renewable energy arm of Japan’s Hitachi Zosen Corporation. HZI’s U.S. operations specialize in converting municipal and agriculture waste into clean, renewable electricity, natural gas, and hydrogen. The expansion in Knox County allows the company to broaden its footprint and more than triple the number of employees at its Tennessee operations.
Hitachi Zosen Inova USA will invest nearly $7M to expand operations at its North American headquarters in Knoxville.
The global renewable energy company will more than triple its presence in Tennessee by creating 90 new jobs in Knox County. https://t.co/NaAZaiBkQB pic.twitter.com/Lm7Ukhzc9c
— TNECD (@TNECD) November 9, 2022
“Tennessee’s business climate and highly skilled workforce offer companies the ideal atmosphere to grow and succeed,” Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said in a statement. “I thank HZI USA for its decision to expand in Knox County and create 90 new jobs for East Tennesseans.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Kewpie Facility” by TNECD.
