A former telephone-era manufacturing site now supports night vision technology.
Written by Jenny K. Boone. Ana Morales / Archival image courtesy of the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries
In 1959, the International Telephone and Telegraph Corp. opened a manufacturing operation in the Hollins area of Roanoke County. It was the start of a business that would grow to become one of the area’s top employers.
The facility, pictured here on Plantation Road, was built to manufacture electronic tubes for military use and microwave communications. Initially, it employed 250 people, according to news articles.
Over time, its name changed, its employee count grew, and it moved into new business lines, including creating low-light night vision devices for the military and recreational uses.
Previously ITT, Exelis, and Harris Corp., it’s now Elbit Systems of America, based in Texas. In late 2025, the company announced that it would add 288 jobs in Roanoke County, for a total of more than 1,000 over four years. It is investing $30 million in the facility to manage increased military demand for its night vision products.
The story above first appeared in our September/October 2026 issue.
