In 2005, the U.S. produced 18 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In recent years, that total has risen to 24 trillion cubic feet. As domestic production has grown, one of the little-known manufacturers enabling that production has been Yokogawa, which has been making instrumentation products in Georgia for more than 30 years.

Yokogawa’s U.S. product line includes test, measurement, field instrumentation, process control, and information products for oil and gas applications.

The company, which was founded in Japan in 1915, opened its first U.S. production plant in Newnan, Georgia in 1980, when energy prices were peaking. Energy prices cratered several years later, but Yokogawa retained its U.S. presence, and in 2009, during the early stages of the most recent energy boom, moved their U.S. headquarters to Sugar Land, Texas, closer to their major customers.

The company also provides contract manufacturing services, using its 17 CNC and manual machining centers, 6 injection molding machines, and other equipment. The factory in Georgia 170,000 square feet of manufacturing space and another 50,000 square feet of warehouse space.

North American employment at Yokogawa tends to reflect demand, but has at times approached 1,000 employees, with positions in engineering, machining, information technology and sales. The company’s mix of employees is a reminder that modern manufacturing offers excellent careers for those with the right skills and training.