“The demand for data is growing exponentially,” said Brinker, “and the Rockbridge plant positions Modine to offer a full range of cooling solutions to serve North America customers in the growing data center market. The products we manufacture here are one way Modine is engineering a cleaner, healthier world.”

“Modine has a proud history in Virginia,” said McGinnis. “I’m delighted to open a new chapter on that with the official opening of the Rockbridge manufacturing plant. The support we’ve received from the local area has been instrumental in getting to this point and we’re starting to see the benefits now in terms of jobs and economic growth. Virginia is at the heart of the global data center market so there is no better place to be to serve our clients.”

Brinker thanked the government agencies for their support, which included a $194,000 grant from Virginia’s Opportunity Fund. Grant funds supported recruitment efforts that enabled the plant to exceed its initial target of creating 60 new full-time roles. Brinker said that Modine expects to have more roles to fill in the next 12 months as the facility completes on going work to launch an on-site test facility.

Dave Gifford, associate vice president of Corscale, cut the ribbon and declared the plant open. The first six chillers manufactured at the new plant were recently delivered to Corscale’s Gainesville Crossing, Virginia data campus following extensive testing at the Airedale headquarters in the U.K.