WARREN — Representatives of SoftBank are expected to meet with Trumbull County commissioners about the multi-million dollar Foxconn project expected to bring up to 2,000 jobs to the Mahoning Valley, according to Commission President Rick Hernandez.

“There will not be a full-blown data center at the Lordstown plant,” Hernandez said. “They will be providing infrastructure and components for data storage. It will consist of shipping containers, which will be the housing for the infrastructure for all of the computers that store the data. They are looking to ship things worldwide.

“They will be starting in the first quarter of next year. They will be employing between 1,600 and 2,000 people.”

Hernandez said he had a discussion with the government affairs director of SoftBank on Tuesday before the commissioners’ weekly workshop, during which they discussed the future of the facilities.

SoftBank acquired the Lordstown facility and will partner with Foxconn to manufacture data center equipment for a project meant to bolster the nation’s AI infrastructure. The commissioner said he was told the types of jobs will range from food service and line workers to high tech.

“This is a great opportunity for Trumbull County,” Hernandez said. “We need to start working with developers and try to get them on board with this project. We are going to need a lot of housing.”

Commissioner Denny Malloy said the company has maintained the 400 positions at the former Lordstown facility.

“They are not making chargers anymore,” Malloy said. “They are basically preparing the site. Many are being paid to volunteer in the community. It shows the type of company Foxconn is. They will be retooling the factory for the new expansion.”

Malloy added the company is seeking to expand the former Lordstown GM site. He noted the company is filing zoning permits with Lordstown to increase the facility’s size.

“These 2,000 jobs are real,” Malloy said. “They are good-paying jobs. ”

They are tech-type jobs. It is a production line, but they will be manufacturing the components for AI only data centers. Components that will be used all over the world.”