Governor Gilmore announces 140 new jobs for manufacturing and distribution center
Richmond - Governor Jim Gilmore announced today the decision by The Antioch Company to locate a new manufacturing and distribution center in Chesterfield County. The facility will be home to the company's subsidiary, the international direct-selling scrapbook company Creative Memories. It will create 140 new jobs by the end of 2002.
"Virginia's positive business climate will bolster this company's progress," said Governor Gilmore. "We welcome Creative Memories to the Commonwealth as they join our ranks of successful manufacturing and distribution operations."
Based in St. Cloud, Minn., Creative Memories offers photo-safe scrapbook albums, supplies and hands-on workshops. Creative Memories has more than 49,000 Consultants in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, New Zealand and Australia who teach people how to organize their photographs and memorabilia, how to chronicle their family history, and how to create safe and meaningful family scrapbook albums.
The Antioch Publishing Company manufactures a variety of photo albums as well as journals, diaries, bookmarks, bookplates and more.
The 121,000 square-foot manufacturing and distribution center, located 10 miles south of Richmond on Interstate 95, will support approximately 20,000 Consultants in states on the eastern seaboard. Through three shifts, Creative Memories will produce more than 40,000 line items in 10,000 packages on a daily basis. The plant is expected to be operational by October 1 following capital equipment investments of more than $7.5 million. Additionally, the facility will support the firm's growing business in the United Kingdom and future thrusts into Europe as it enters Germany in 2001 and the Benelux and Scandinavian countries in 2002 and beyond.
"Chesterfield County was chosen because it offered a number of amenities including its proximity to international shipping hubs," said Ole Dam, vice president of operations for The Antioch Company, based in Yellow Springs, Ohio. "The presence of an international airport facility and deepwater port access were critical to our decision."
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Greater Richmond Partnership and the Chesterfield County Department of Economic Development assisted the company with its decision. The company also qualifies for workforce training services through the Virginia Department of Business Assistance.
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