A sprawling, vacant tomato-processing plant on the outskirts of Hanford is about to get a second life. AMPS Solar plans to turn the former Del Monte facility at 10652 Jackson Ave. into a solar module assembly and manufacturing operation, with hiring expected to begin in November and job estimates running into the hundreds.
The exact job count depends on who you ask. According to KMPH, the new Hanford facility could create more than 600 jobs in the Central Valley over the next few years. The Hanford Sentinel, as reported by The Hanford Sentinel, says the facility would have approximately 200 employees per shift, or 600 total — a somewhat different framing of the same figure that has not been reconciled between the two outlets.
Either way, Cole Earley, AMPS Solar's marketing and business development director, told KMPH the hiring process has already begun, and the company will begin filling positions in November. Roles are expected in assembly, manufacturing, packaging and shipping, per the station's report, with AMPS Solar planning to offer both skilled positions and entry-level opportunities that do not require previous experience.
A Massive, Long-Idle Plant Gets a New Purpose
The facility itself is enormous: according to The Hanford Sentinel, the vacant building is 1.3 million square feet, and Del Monte closed its processing plant there in 2025. As noted by the same outlet, Phase 1 would place assembly lines in Warehouse #1 and Warehouse #2, while Warehouse #3 and Warehouse #4 would be used for finished-product storage and distribution.
The scale of the proposed operation is significant. The Hanford Sentinel reports the solar module assembly facility is pitched at up to 8 gigawatts of capacity, with production lines installed inside the existing building and no building expansion or structural changes planned. The facility could operate up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, depending on demand, and the proposal estimates 10 to 20 truck trips per day once operations are underway. The same filing states that no hazardous manufacturing processes are proposed.
Part of a Broader Expansion for AMPS Solar
Hanford would mark a major leap for the company, which currently operates out of a 150,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Southern California, per the Hanford Sentinel. That existing plant has been expanding its production lines toward an annual manufacturing capacity of 1.5 gigawatts — a fraction of the up to 8 gigawatts envisioned for the Hanford site, underscoring how much larger this proposed facility would be relative to the company's current footprint.
For now, many specifics remain undetermined. The evidence reviewed does not establish final project approval, an opening date for the facility, or whether the proposed capacity, staffing levels and round-the-clock operating schedule will ultimately be achieved. No job titles, wages, benefits or hiring contact information have been verified either, though Earley's comments to KMPH indicate the company is already moving to bring workers on board ahead of a November start.
