The company is planning a 61,000-square-foot expansion to support growth of its ISO 9001:2016 certified Mena facility.
MENA, Ark.—Nidec Motor Corporation announced last fall that it is expanding its existing facility in Mena with an investment of more than $19 million. With the expansion, Nidec aims to create 35 new jobs over five years, the company said in a release.
“This significant investment in our plant in Mena marks a milestone in our growth as a manufacturer of electric motors,” said Nidec Global ACIM Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Operations for North America and Latin America, Claudemir dos Santos, in a statement. “We’ve essentially outgrown our facility, and the new space we add will allow us to expand not only our manufacturing capabilities but also our testing labs and to improve the experience for customers who visit the location.”
The company is planning a 61,000-square-foot expansion to support growth over the coming five years. The new expansion will enable Nidec to add production and increase capacity for its test lab, as well as add a new customer demonstration room for its large-scale motors.
In November 2025, Boart Longyear started shipping U.S.-made drill rods to customers in the United States and Mexico. (Image courtesy EIN Presswire/Boart Longyear)
Nidec currently operates in a 347,000-square-foot facility that is ISO 9001:2016 certified. The company said it employs approximately 400 workers at its Mena facility.
“Nidec has been a part of the Mena community for nearly six decades, and this latest expansion secures their place in the Natural State for years to come,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in a statement. “Since day one, my administration has worked to build an environment where great businesses like Nidec can thrive. This latest announcement shows that our strategy of lowering taxes, cutting excessive regulations, and investing in our workforce is working, and that there’s no better place to do business than Arkansas.”
Nidec has operated in Mena since 1966, producing the U.S. MOTORS® brand stock and custom electric motors. The Mena facility specializes in the manufacture of large vertical and horizontal motors, particularly for motors used for movement of liquids, including for the oil and natural gas industries and water/wastewater.
U.S. MOTORS is one of the trusted brands that are part of Nidec’s Appliance, Commercial, and Industrial Motors (ACIM) organization. Nidec ACIM, a business unit of Nidec Group, offers a product portfolio of compressors, condensing units, and motors for home and commercial appliances. It also offers motors and electronic drives for commercial, residential, industrial, and utilities applications.
“This comprehensive set of solutions is characterized by high standards of quality and energy efficiency that delivers innovation at the service of sustainability,” the release stated.
“With its latest investment, Nidec is expanding its operations in Mena, Arkansas, and growing its workforce in the community,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, in a statement. “Since the 1960s, Nidec has been a key part of Mena’s business community, manufacturing large-scale motors. This investment is a testament to the business-friendly environment in Mena and Arkansas—and we congratulate the leadership at Nidec and in Mena on this milestone.”
The AEDC team recently visited Nidec’s corporate headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, as part of a business development mission. During the visit, AEDC officials and Nidec executives had a positive discussion about the expansion and ongoing operations in Arkansas.
“Nidec’s decision to expand in Mena is a big win for our community,” said Mena Mayor Seth Smith, in the release. “It shows their trust in the hardworking people of Polk County and their belief in the future of our city. With the support of AEDC, we’re excited about the new jobs and opportunities this project will create for our families.”
Construction work on the expansion began in the second quarter of 2025 and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2027. Nidec will be hiring for a range of positions, including machine operators.
Based in Kyoto, Japan, Nidec Corporation offers motors ranging from micro-size to super large. It also offers application products and services in IT, automation, home appliances, automobiles, commercial and industrial systems, environmental, energy, and numerous other businesses.