Alcoa will invest $25 million in Hampton plant, add 25 jobs

Alcoa will invest up to $25 million to expand and modernize its Alcoa Howmet plant in Hampton, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced today.

That will add about 25 jobs to the plant, which now employs 1,050 workers, by September 2011, said Jean Moorman, a spokesman for Alcoa Power and Propulsion, an Alcoa division based outside Cleveland.

The plant makes casting molds for blades that are used in industrial gas turbines, Moorman said. “The industrial gas turbine business is growing, demand is up, and by expanding our plant we’re positioning ourselves to meet this demand,” she said.

The expansion will take place during a three-year period, which began in the fourth quarter of 2008, Moorman said. It will add new equipment and increase the size of the plant, from 472,000 to 491,000 square feet.

Kaine approved a $500,000 state grant to serve as an incentive for the project, a news release from his office said.

“Alcoa Howmet has been a steadfast contributor and strong corporate citizen in Hampton since it opened in 1974,” Kaine said in a statement. “This expansion reflects Alcoa Howmet’s continued commitment to its work force and the city of Hampton.”