Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises will relocate hundreds of employees from Barberton and Copley to Akron and move its headquarters from Charlotte to Akron, Babcock & Wilcox spokesman Ryan Cornell said. Babcock & Wilcox designs, makes and services coal-fired power plant boilers, pollution control technology and other products.

The company told its employees of the impending move Monday.

JobsOhio managing director Glenn Richardson was happy with the companies decision to move to Summit County.

"This decision speaks to the outstanding talent in Summit County, which will continue to drive advancement in power generation systems from B&W's new offices there," Richardson said.

But at the same time Akron’s next-door neighbor Barberton, despite strong efforts to retain B&W, loses what had been its largest private employer that dates back to the early 1900s in the city.