CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice announced today that Omnis Building Technologies will build a $40 million, 150,000-square-foot facility in Bluefield to manufacture housing materials that will revolutionize the future of residential construction, creating 150-300 jobs in the process.
“I would like to be the first to thank Omnis and welcome them to our great state with open arms. I am beyond proud as Governor to make yet another major economic development announcement that is going to change countless West Virginians’ lives for the better,” Gov. Justice said. “We continue to prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that the rocket ship ride I promised is real. This is the fourth major economic development project that I’ve been able to announce in less than a month, and these are huge, successful companies that are investing truckloads of money in our state, while creating careers for entire communities of hardworking West Virginians from north to south.
“Can you imagine, five or ten years ago, how excited we would’ve been to have just one of these announcements? Now, we’re almost numb to reeling in big fish after big fish,” Gov. Justice continued. “We’re on a roll like we’ve never seen before, but we can’t take this historic success for granted. We all need to take a step back and really appreciate Omnis’ commitment to our state and celebrate all the goodness they are going to bring to their new home in West Virginia.”
Omnis Building Technologies is a manufacturer of energy-efficient, pre-engineered, home building systems made up of Concrete Insulated Building Units (CIBU) that are shipped then assembled on-site to make pre-designed homes. Once delivered, these patented turn-key homes are easily constructed and move-in ready in just a few days.
“This is exactly the forward-thinking type of company that Governor Justice wanted to land in West Virginia when he made the decision to elevate our economic development operations,” said West Virginia Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael. “Our country is facing a housing shortage. Contractors simply aren’t able to meet the growing demand. Sadly, this can make the dream of owning a home out of reach for many Americans. That’s why we are so excited to welcome Omnis Building Technologies to West Virginia and help them revolutionize the future of residential construction. This will make home-ownership more sustainable and affordable for the average West Virginian.”
According to researchers at Freddie Mac, there is a shortage of nearly 4 million homes in the United States, and the gap between supply and demand continues to grow.
“The Bluefield West Virginia Economic Development Authority began working to attract Omnis approximately 14 months ago and we are honored that they chose Bluefield as their location,” said BEDA Executive Director Jim Spencer. “The jobs created by Omnis will be a tremendous boost to our area and it is a privilege to be part of the project.”
When looking across the country for a location to build their facility, Omnis Building Technologies President Jonathan Hodson said that Bluefield, West Virginia, is an ideal location because it enables the company to bring CIBU homes to most of the population in the United States by rail or truck.
“Locating in Bluefield allows us to employ a workforce made up of a broad range of individuals with a high work ethic and to utilize the abundance of readily available natural resources,” said Hodson. “Locating in West Virginia satisfies our mission of providing family-sustaining jobs through the manufacturing of affordable, high-quality, energy-efficient homes.”
The company will be breaking ground in the near future and plans to be in operation by the end of 2022. The site is located off Exit 1 of Interstate 77 on John Nash Boulevard in Bluefield, WV.
“This is a monumental day for the City of Bluefield and the State of West Virginia. We are elated to welcome Omnis Building Technologies to the city’s industrial site at Exit 1 and look forward to the great paying jobs this will provide for our community and our region,” said Bluefield Mayor Ron Martin.
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