Fortune 500 company Celanese Corp. just announced it will invest $150 million to convert its Celco Plant in Giles County, Va., from coal-fired to natural-gas fired boilers. The project will create 22 new full-time jobs, as well as employ an estimated 200 construction workers.

Celanese Corp. is a global technology leader engaged in the production of specialty materials and chemical products used in a wide variety of industries and applications. The Virginia Celco Plant has helped make the company a leading producer of cellulose acetate tow, used in filter media.

The Celco Plant first established operations in Giles County, Va., in 1939 and is the largest employer in the county. Positioned along the New River and Route 460, this location offers the unique combination of a picturesque setting between the mountains, easy access to I-81, and close proximity to Virginia Tech and the region’s skilled and educated workforce.

This investment will allow the company to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while updating equipment to improve its energy efficiency—two goals aligned with the company’s core values of sustainability and operational excellence.

This project continues the positive trend of Virginia manufacturers making significant investments to upgrade to more environmentally-friendly sources of energy. Last year, MeadWestvaco announced plans to invest $285 million to construct a new, state-of-the-art biomass boiler at its Covington plant, and just last week RockTenn hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a natural gas pipeline to its West Point mill.

To learn why leading manufacturers continue to invest in the Commonwealth, bringing more than $13.8 billion in projects over the last decade, click here.

A view of the Celco Plant from across the New River.