The Lincoln Electric Company, a subsidiary of Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LECO), announced it is investing approximately $30 million in a new Welding Technology Center on its Euclid, Ohio, campus. The Center will focus on the training of welding educators and industry leaders to address the rising demand for welding education and career pathways in welding and advanced manufacturing. Lincoln Electric will also dedicate resources to support welding training for veterans at this facility.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2016 with an opening anticipated in 2017—marking the centennial anniversary of Lincoln’s legacy welding school, the longest-running welding school in the United States. The new 130,000-square foot center will double Lincoln’s welding education capacity to 180 welding booths and will include high-tech classroom and seminar spaces. It will also showcase and integrate Lincoln Electric’s latest technologies and solutions into a comprehensive welding curriculum.

Lincoln Electric’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher L. Mapes said, “This investment reflects our commitment to being at the forefront of welding innovation and education. The increased demand from customers, the skilled trades and technical schools to help develop the next generation of industry-ready welders has accelerated our investment in education and our new Welding Technology Center will allow us to demonstrate how our technical expertise and the value of our solutions can have a measurable impact on educators, students and customers.  We are thankful to our partners, including the City of Euclid, Cuyahoga County, the State of Ohio, and the many other institutions who are supporting this expansion as part of our ‘2020 Vision and Strategy,’ and who are helping us define the next chapter of our welding school’s legacy.”