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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Torc Robotics Expands Self Driving Vehicle Software Development at Montgomery County, Virginia Campus

08/27/2020
Torc Robotics, a Blacksburg-based leader in self-driving vehicle systems, will invest $8.5 million to expand its software development operations in Montgomery County, Virginia.

The company will establish an additional facility at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in close proximity to its current operation in the Blacksburg Industrial Park, with plans to create 350 new jobs.

According to Virginia economic development officials, this expansion supports Torc’s effort to develop self-driving trucks with Daimler Trucks, the global market-share leader. While consumers dream of self-driving cars, industry leaders expect long-haul trucks will be the first vehicles to fully utilize the technology due to simpler driving environments and a stronger business case. Today, vehicles using Torc’s self-driving technology operate on multiple continents. In 2019, Torc joined the Daimler Trucks family and now employs about 175 people.

“Trucking is the backbone of the U.S. economy, delivering food and products to every community,” said Torc Robotics CEO Michael Fleming. “We greatly appreciate Virginia’s support of our mission to save lives and our innovative partnership with Daimler, the inventor of the truck, to commercialize self-driving trucks and make our roads safer. We selected the Commonwealth for its workforce culture and regulatory climate. In our experience, people in the region stay with companies for the long-term.”

“Commercializing self-driving trucks is a marathon, not a sprint, and requires a long-term commitment from companies, investors, and employees. Virginia policy enables us to test our vehicles on public roads, which is critical to bringing this technology to market. Virginia has provided the opportunity to rapidly develop and test in unique environments and weather conditions, ranging from summer heat to winter snow,” he added.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with Montgomery County and Onward New River Valley to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Northam approved an $800,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Montgomery County with the project. The Governor also approved $3.5 million in funds from the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant (VEDIG). VEDIG was established as a self-funded program of performance-based incentives that the Commonwealth awards to exceptional economic development projects with large numbers of employees and very high wages relative to average wages for that particular area.

Support for Torc Robotics’ job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce initiative created by VEDP in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System, with funding support from the Northam administration and the Virginia General Assembly.

“As a homegrown Virginia company in Montgomery County, Torc Robotics is a tremendous example of the success startup technology businesses can achieve in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “The company is pioneering a niche market that has gained a lot of momentum, and the impressive talent pipeline from Virginia Tech combined with the New River Valley’s strong workforce will continue to support Torc’s growth as an industry leader.”

“This region’s talented workforce can help forward-looking tech companies grow, and Torc Robotics is demonstrating that by creating 350 new jobs in Montgomery County,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “Self-driving technology is a booming sector, and Torc has been at the forefront of the industry since its founding. We thank the company for this significant investment in our Commonwealth, which comes at a critical point in our economic recovery, and we look forward to their continued entrepreneurship and innovation in the New River Valley.”

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