Pyott Boone Electronics will invest $6 million in an expansion to build an internationally competitive company and industry leader in safety and monitoring and communication systems for underground coal mining. The company plans to create 80 new jobs over the next 36 months in Tazewell County. Tazewell County and the Commonwealth of Virginia successfully competed with Australia for the project.

Originating in 1971, Pyott Boone Electronics was acquired by Prairie Capital and Vierville Capital in April 2011. The company was initially founded to supply eastern U.S. coal mines with quality electronic equipment but over the years the company expanded sales to include many other industries all over the world. Currently it sells equipment to mines producing coal, copper, gold and salt mines, as well as tunneling operations.

“Our community will not only benefit from jobs and capital investment but this investment will also help to build an internationally competitive company and industry leader in mine safety,” said Stuart Champion de Crespigny, CEO, Pyott-Boone Electronics.

The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commis-sion approved $600,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project. The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority has approved an up to $250,000 grant to the company to assist on the expansion project.