Lumber producer to make largest single private manufacturing investment in county's history
Richmond - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that ArborTech Forest Products will locate a manufacturing facility in Nottoway County creating 50 new jobs for residents there. The $21 million investment is the largest single manufacturing investment made by a private corporation in the county's history. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project.
"Traditional manufacturing continues to serve as a foundation for Virginia's economic prosperity," Governor Gilmore said. "ArborTech will create valuable job opportunities for the people of Southside Virginia and strengthen the Commonwealth's position in the forestry industry.
" Initially running one shift, ArborTech Forest Products will generate 75 million board feet annually of dimension lumber, timbers, and decking. These primary products will be marketed to a variety of users including treating plants, truss manufacturers, the manufactured housing industry, and others within trucking distances of the Nottoway plant. By-products will either be consumed internally or marketed to local paper, poultry, or landscaping industries.
Revolutionary manufacturing technology, experienced professionals, and a strategic location will all combine to make ArborTech Forest Products one of Virginia's most productive and efficient sawmill operations. "Not only will ArborTech be able to generate more lumber from less wood, it will also be able to better utilize smaller trees in its process," said John Talley, president of ArborTech Forest Products.
Compared with traditional saw milling operations, the facility's state of the art, computer optimized processing systems will mean more efficient utilization of Virginia's renewable forest resources. Over 90 percent of Virginia's forestland is owned and managed by non-industrial, private landowners and institutional investors. ArborTech technology represents the future for efficiently marketing forest products.
The facility will be located on a 125-acre site adjacent to the Fort Pickett Airfield, which will be returned to Nottoway County as a result of the federal government's military base restructuring.
"The availability of renewable forest resources, a site with excellent topography and access, as well as Virginia's pro-business political environment all combined to make Nottoway's Pickett Park the perfect site for our facility," said Tim Stephenson, one of ArborTech's four principals.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Nottoway County Economic Development Committee assisted the company with its decision. ArborTech qualifies for workforce training services from the Virginia Department of Business Assistance.
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