Permobil Inc., a Sweden-based manufacturer of custom-made powered wheelchairs, will invest US$12 million to build a North American operations center in Lebanon, Tennessee. the company says in a statement that it expects to double its work force in Tennessee over the next three to five years; Permobil currently employs 85 people at an existing operations center in Lebanon. The 120,000-square-foot center will include 40,000 square feet of corporate offices and an 80,000-square-foot manufacturing plant; construction is scheduled to begin later this month in the, with completion expected during the summer of 2010. "Permobil selected the site in Park 840 based on several criteria," says Larry Jackson, CEO of Permobil's North American operations. "It's a strategic location outside one of the largest healthcare hubs in the country. The business climate is ripe for growth. As the national demand for our mobility products increases because of their outstanding quality, proximity to major interstates was critical." The company says the new building will incorporate a variety of innovative green-building technology features, including the largest private solar panel array in Tennessee.
