German publishing company to add employees and investment to Orange County operations
Richmond - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that Von Holtzbrinck Publishing Services will expand its operations in Orange County, creating 50 new jobs. The company, a subsidiary of German-based Holtzbrinck Publishers Holdings, will invest $10 million in a new facility to be located in the Lee Industrial Park. Von Holtzbrinck Publishing Services located its original distribution center in Orange County in 1997. Virginia successfully competed with Tennessee and Ohio for the investment.
"Von Holtzbrinck has benefited from Virginia's pro-business climate and dedicated workforce for the past three years," Governor Gilmore said. "This exciting decision confirms that Virginia is an ideal location for international business."
Von Holtzbrinck Publishing Services is a division of the Stuttgart, Germany based George von Holtzbrinck GmbH. A multi-billion dollar media company, the group focuses its activities in North America on publishing trade books from St. Martin's Press, Tor, Henry Holt, Farrar Straus and Giroux, educational titles from Bedford, Freeman, and Worth, and Scientific American magazine. The Company publishes popular authors, including Albert Schweitzer, Robert Frost, Sue Grafton, and Tom Wolfe, as well as leading higher education titles in biochemistry, English, physics, and statistics. In its history, Holtzbrinck Publishers have won 19 Pulitzer prizes for literature, received numerous National Book Awards, and continue to have best-selling titles. Altogether the Company employs 10,000 people worldwide doing business on almost every continent.
"Virginia and Orange County were selected to consolidate our distribution and fulfillment services after considering sites across the country. Our decision was made because of the progressive economic environment and support from the Commonwealth and Orange economic development groups, the strong regional business environment, the transportation infrastructure, the high quality of the workforce, and the quality of life for our employees. We continue to realize these benefits as we expand our operations here," said Michael Shareck, Senior Vice President - Operations for Von Holtzbrinck Publishing Services.
"Virginia continues to gain momentum in the distribution industry," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Barry E. DuVal. "Our strategic location on the East Coast combined with our excellent transportation system allows companies like Von Holtzbrinck to deliver their products quickly and efficiently."
Governor Gilmore approved a $100,000 Governor's Opportunity Fund grant to assist Orange County with site preparation. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Thomas Jefferson Partnership and the Orange County Industrial Development Authority and Board of Supervisors assisted the company with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.
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