Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America to invest in new equipment for Augusta Co. plant

Gov. Ralph Northam announced Aug. 14 that Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America (SMA) will make a multi-million dollar investment in new machinery at its manufacturing operation in Augusta County in the Shenandoah Valley.

The company will purchase new 10-and 20-ton overhead cranes, a new paint booth, a washer/deburrer, an automatic storage retrieval system, and new assembly workstations, the release stated.

Sumitomo recently built a new 72,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its former Mill Place Commerce Park location that will serve as SMA’s new Gearbox Center of Excellence. The company will receive funding from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) to support the retraining of 34 existing employees on the new equipment, processes, and certifications.

“Sumitomo is a longtime, valuable corporate partner to the Commonwealth, and we are glad this global company has chosen to reinvest in Augusta County and Virginia,” Northam was quoted as saying in a news release.

“Companies in the Shenandoah Valley benefit from the region’s skilled manufacturing workforce, unmatched infrastructure, and access to major interstates. I am confident Sumitomo will continue to be successful in Augusta County.”

Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, one of the largest manufacturers of machinery in Japan and a global leader in power transmission knowledge and innovation. SMA is a premier power transmission and control solution provider with customers across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America for more than 50 years.