The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced Ritz Instrument Transformers will expand their current operations in Hart County, investing $8 million and creating 50 new full-time jobs within the next five years.  The planned expansion represents a 50 percent increase of its current workforce.

“We are thrilled that Ritz Instrument Transformers has decided to grow their operations in Hart County,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “Georgia’s access to a highly-trained workforce and pro-business climate is the perfect complement to the company’s commitment to driving innovation, creating quality products and providing full customer satisfaction. We look forward to supporting them in their future growth.”

Ritz Instrument Transformers is the world’s largest manufacturer in the 600V through 72KV range. Customers include leading companies in the fields of energy supply and electronics from all corners of the world.

"The decision to re-enter the high voltage segment of our marketplace was in response to continued pressure to do so by the same electrical utilities that purchase our low and medium voltage instrument transformers,” said Dave Dearlove, CEO, Ritz USA. “While the design and manufacturing technologies are very different from current products, necessitating the construction of a new factory and electrical testing laboratory, the products perform the same function as our current products, namely providing inputs into meters and relays. It was an easy decision to site the new facility adjacent to our existing factory in Hart County due to the tremendous support available at the county and state levels.”

Ritz was founded in Hamburg, Germany and now consists of seven facilities in Germany, Austria, Hungary, China and the U.S.  The current plant is located in Lavonia, Georgia and was opened in 2010, producing low-voltage and medium-voltage instrument transformers and cast parts for the utility and OEM sectors.

"The Hart County Board of Commissioners is pleased to see Ritz Instrument Transformers continuing to grow its business by introducing new product lines and increasing employment,” said Ricky Carter, Hart County Board of Commissioners Chairman. “Ritz was one of Hart County's first German-based companies and the first industry to locate in our Gateway-2 Industrial Park. We are confident that they will continue to be an outstanding member of our business community.”

"The launch of Ritz New High Voltage Product Line is an exciting development and represents a significant, long-term commitment by Ritz in Hart County,” said Bill Leard, Chairman of Hart County Industrial Building Authority. “This will have a positive impact on job opportunities for local area citizens throughout Northeast Georgia.”

GDEcD Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Sr. Project Manager, Region 2, Tammy Caudell represented the Global Commerce division throughout the project in partnership with the Hart County Industrial Building Authority and the Hart County Board of Commissioners.