(BLACKSBURG, VA) Torc Robotics doubled its headquarters facility this week in Blacksburg, Virginia with the completion of a major construction project. Although the nearly 16,000 square-foot expansion marks another milestone in Torc’s growing role as a powerhouse in automated truck technology, it is already insufficient space for the whole team.
Torc, the leader in commercializing heavy-duty, self-driving vehicle technology, has been on a growth tear for the past five years. The company got an extra bump last fall when Daimler Trucks acquired a majority stake in the firm, with a commitment to commercializing Level 4 automated trucks within the decade. The partners are working on integrating the technology while developing the trucks to accommodate necessary redundancies and streamline system integration.
“After embarking on the truck effort, we immediately needed more space for our growing team to collaborate and for the big trucks in our garage bays,” said Michael Fleming, Torc CEO. The expansion is 15,800 square-feet, two-stories tall, and encompasses a variety of uses including offices, community rooms, garage bays and parking. “We’re happy to have this extra space, but we have even bigger plans to accommodate our growing team,” Fleming said.
In May, Torc announced that the firm would increase company size by more than 50 percent. “This is just the start,” Fleming said. “Over the next several years, we will be hiring aggressively. Expect more announcements from Torc,” he said. “Commercializing automated trucks on public roads is complex and we will need additional talent to get us there.” Torc is continuing to recruit for many software engineering positions, including infrastructure and tools, web development, Linux, and cloud technology.
Torc’s headquarters is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is often considered an up and coming region for advanced technology. Torc will remain in Blacksburg, Fleming said, but will also establish other locations as the Level 4 truck technology and testing develops.
“We believe our location has been part of our success,” Fleming said. “I came out of Virginia Tech, so this seemed like the ideal place to launch a company. People in this area tend to pursue efforts for the longer term. They are also very hardworking and humble. I’ve always believed that a revolution and a disruption like bringing self-driving trucks to market is a marathon — not a sprint and it doesn’t happen overnight.”
While Torc’s headquarters expansion is complete, it is not fully occupied because of the pandemic. Some employees are beginning to move back into the offices, but many employees are still working from home at this time. “We’re looking forward to when we can all return to our office and enjoy working in the new headquarters space,” Fleming said.
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is a member of the Daimler Trucks family. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing self-driving trucks. Torc has more than 10 years of experience in automating heavy equipment for safety-critical operations.