March 14 (Reuters) - French electrical equipment maker

Schneider Electric said on Thursday it plans to invest

$140 million this year to boost its U.S. manufacturing

operations and hire more staff.

The company will upgrade a building in Mt. Juliet,

Tennessee, as well as its manufacturing operations in Smyrna,

Tennessee, it said in a statement.

Schneider said it expects to hire about 750 new workers in

manufacturing and related roles in the United States.