Office Products Supplier to Create 550 Jobs in Bristol
Bristol - Governor George Allen today participated in a dedication ceremony for Boise Cascade Office Products' new call center in Southwest Virginia. The Bristol facility, located in an existing 80,000 square foot shell building, will create 550 new jobs. Last December, Governor Allen presented a $350,000 check from the Governor's Opportunity Fund to the City of Bristol to assist with site preparation.
"Boise Cascade Office Products' investment here in Southwest Virginia will continue to diversify and strengthen the local economy as well as enhance families' quality of life," said Governor Allen. "This new high technology major telemarketing center in Bristol will serve as Boise's 'flagship' of customer service to meet the increasing demand for its top-quality products."
Boise's new call center will enable the company to meet growing nationwide demand by receiving and processing customer orders and relaying them to distribution centers across the country. The company operates a regional distribution center in Chesapeake, and maintains sales offices in Alexandria, Salem and Henrico County.
"We are proud to dedicate our new state-of-the-art call center today in Bristol," said Pete Danis, chief executive officer of Boise Cascade Office Products. "A true team effort between State and local partners has allowed us to rapidly occupy this facility, and we anticipate great success in Southwest Virginia."
Governor Allen presented a Virginia flag and a historic share of stock in the Virginia Company to Boise officials as a token of the State's appreciation for their major investment in Virginia. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Mount Rogers Partnership and the Bristol Virginia Economic Development Committee assisted the company with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.
Growth in call centers in Virginia has been extensive. Since 1993, 18 call centers have located or expanded in the Commonwealth, employing over 5,300 and investing $119.5 million.
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