ATLANTA (AP) — State officials say Monroe-based Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. will expand its operations in Walton County, creating 250 new jobs and investing $80 million.

Gov. Nathan Deal's office announced the expansion plan on Tuesday.

Deal said in a statement that the expansion will require an additional 290,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its current two buildings.

He said the facility, formerly Unisia of Georgia Corp., was established in Monroe in 1996 as a fully owned subsidiary of Hitachi America Ltd.