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While
people near and far have long heard the familiar state phrase, "Virginia
is for Lovers," there's now a new state mantra making the rounds
- "Virginia is for Business." This is the message that the
state of Virginia is extending to companies in its new marketing campaign.
However,
as evidenced by the state's continual mode of business activity, it
is clear that businesses have been hearing this call for some time.
Creative
Memories develops in Richmond
Richmond's
design was the perfect match for The Antioch Co., which will open
a $7.5 million manufacturing and distribution facility this fall for
its subsidiary, Creative Memories.
The new
facility will be the site of 40 new jobs by the end of 2002 for the
international company that offers photo-safe scrapbook albums, supplies
and hands-on workshops.
The Greater
Richmond-Chesterfield County area was chosen because of its amenities,
including proximity to international shipping hubs, according to Ole
Dan, vice president of operations for Creative Memories.
"The
presence of an international airport and deep-water port access were
critical to our decision," said Dan.
Creative
Memories has over 45,000 consultants around the world who instruct
people on how to organize photos and memorabilia, chronicle family
history, and create meaningful family albums.
The new
facility will support about 20,000 consultants in the eastern United
States as well as businesses in the UK, Germany and other European
countries.
A three-shift
operation at the 121,000 square foot facility will produce more than
40,000 items in 10,000 packages daily.
Proximity
to customers helps companies meet growth goals
In the southern
section of Virginia, near Farmville in Prince Edward County, SMI Steel
Products announced in March that it would open its third facility
in the state.
The new
manufacturing facility, which is expected to be operational by September
of 2000, will be the catalyst for 150 new jobs.
Proximity
to supplier and customer markets was a key lure for the company, which
will manufacture steel beams for building construction.
"This
region has much to offer: proximity to a wide flange beam supplier
that recently became operational in Virginia, transportation links
to major markets, and good people with a solid work ethic," said
Marvin Selig, chairman of the CMC Steel Group, parent company of SMI
Steel.
The company
will also receive work force training services from the state.
For Sysco
Foodservices Inc., meeting the needs of its customer base called for
a major growth spurt. As a result, the company announced in February
that it would build a 285,000 square foot operations and distribution
center in Suffolk.
A second
phase to the facility will unfold within the next five years, spurring
on the plant size to a total of 500,000 square feet.
"We
are very excited about the growth opportunities this will provide
for our employees, our suppliers and our customers," said John
Hall, president and CEO of Sysco. "Hampton Roads is an excellent
logistical choice, as well as a superb food and entertainment market,
which is the industry we serve."
Road
is straight and narrow for auto companies
As in much
of the Southeast, Virginia has become a magnet for automotive industry
activity. In July of '99, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a
$148 million expansion of Volvo Trucks North America Inc., in Pulaski
County, in southwest Virginia.
The three-year
project is anticipated to result in 1,277 new full-time jobs. About
600 jobs have already been created and, as the project progresses,
another 677 will be filled.
The expansion
is designed to increase the facility's production of commercial trucks
by 66 percent, to 50,000 units annually.
Volvo is
also one of the first companies to participate in the Virginia Investment
Partnership (VIP) program, which helps Virginia-based manufacturers
expand through economic grants and tax credits or incentives.
Volvo officials
anticipate that over a 10-year period almost $60 million in performance-based
incentives will be available to support expansion efforts as well
as the hiring and training of personnel.
Companies
procure support from local work force
Virginia's
work force has always been one of the state's greatest assets. Currently,
over 350,000 students are educated in 85 institutions of higher learning.
Additionally,
workers at several Virginia manufacturing facilities have been recognized
for having the highest production levels of any other facility within
their organizations.
For Blue
Ridge Technology Inc., a manufacturer of environmentally safe paints
and inks, the work force was a major attraction when it selected Henry
County, near the southwestern city of Martinsville, for a new facility.
The company
will employ 40 people initially in a 30,000 square foot facility,
and plans call for up to 100 employees by the end of 2000.
"We
selected Henry County because of the area's quality work force,"
said Al Mersberg, president of Blue Ridge. "Other factors included
a very favorable business climate, an excellent facility in which
to locate, and Patrick Henry Community College's training and support."
College
training and technical assistance was also a plus for Tower Automotive,
which announced in March that it will construct a second manufacturing
plant in Botetourt County, in southwest Virginia.
"The
Roanoke Valley site was selected because it is pro-business with an
excellent transportation network, work force readiness and high quality
of life," said Dale Hemberger, business unit leader of Tower
Automotive. "We are impressed with the technical support offered
to us by Virginia Western Community College, the potential of the
new Greenfield Education and Training Center, and Virginia Tech."
Construction
on the 250,000 square foot facility is expected to get underway later
this spring, with production slated to begin during the first quarter
in 2002.
Success
is no stranger to all walks of business in Virginia
A variety
of businesses contribute to the overall vitality of Virginia's business
climate. There is not a spot around the state that is not boasting
some kind of growth.
Virginia
Beach is home to a shining example of phenomenal growth. Geico Direct,
which set up shop over the last two years in the area, is continuing
on its growth streak.
In September
of '99, the company announced it would hire 400 additional employees
for its Virginia Beach facility, where it already houses 1,300.
The site
contains sales, service and claims teams to handle the business generated
in Virginia and North Carolina. Geico is the second largest direct
marketer of auto insurance in the United States.