Dubai energy company buys historic York site for its North American HQ
An energy company out of Dubai just bought one of York County’s historic business properties and the company that’s operated there for a quarter-century.
Esyasoft, an energy infrastructure company founded in 2014, bought the 129-year-old former Ross Cannon Mill in York this month for $2.5 million. The deal also includes the purchase of Vision Metering, an automated electric meter company that moved to York from Belmont, North Carolina, in 2001.
The former York mill site at 7 Ross Cannon St. will become the North American headquarters for Esyasoft, Vision Metering CEO Randy Austin told The Herald.
“They have some pretty big plans for the building,” he said.
The more than 212,000-square-foot building will get a facelift and up-fit, Austin said, but the ownership change isn’t expected to impact the 65 employees at Vision Metering. Austin and Executive Vice President Debbie Ruth will stay on for a couple of years during the transition.
“Everything’s the same,” Austin said. “The people are staying. They’re not bringing anybody here on a permanent basis.”
A message left for Esyasoft officials wasn’t immediately returned Wednesday.
The 25-acre site has been a key part of York’s business community since a cotton mill opened there in 1897. Mill homes grew around it and the site expanded several times. At one point, Fruit of the Loom manufactured products there.
Energy company plans in York County
Significant changes to the building would require city approvals, but so far no plans have been submitted for city approval, Mayor Mike Fuesser told The Herald. He’s aware of the sale from conversations with Vision Metering officials, and expects to meet the new owners soon.
“It’s another company that does the same thing,” Fuesser said. “They just want to make it bigger.”
Vision Metering has been in business for 35 years, with most of that time in York. It was called Austin International until a rebrand in 2011.
The company works globally in electric, water and gas metering, including projects in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Philippines and Canada.
Between QTS Data Centers building a data center in Lake Wylie and Silfab Solar looking to manufacture solar panels in Fort Mill, there’s been a heightened sense of public scrutiny in recent months about what types of companies are locating in the region. Residents have argued that power drains, water usage or chemical storage from those businesses could create problems for neighbors.
While it’s a large energy company coming, the Esyasoft plan is different in that it will continue a business that’s been operating for many years.
“We’re just a quiet company that goes about our business and tries to make some money,” Austin said.