O'Sullivan Industries to employ 100 and invest $11 million in manufacturing plant
Richmond - Governor Jim Gilmore has announced O'Sullivan Industries - Virginia, Inc., a manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture, will expand in Halifax County and hire 100 new employees. The company will invest $11 million in the project. The South Boston plant currently employs 600 people. Virginia successfully competed with Utah and Missouri for the investment.
"I am honored to announce the expansion of O'Sullivan Industries," said Governor Gilmore. "The company's investment will be a tremendous addition to the local economy while providing valuable jobs for Halifax County."
O'Sullivan Industries is rated as one of the leading manufacturers of ready-to-assemble furniture for homes and offices. The company manufactures desks, credenzas, computer work centers, entertainment centers and kitchen accessories, to name a few. Their products are sold primarily through office superstores, mass merchants, and department stores. O'Sullivan Industries established a manufacturing plant in the Halifax/South Boston Industrial Park in 1988, and has expanded the plant twice prior to this project.
Richard Davidson, President and Chief Executive Officer of O'Sullivan, stated, "We are glad to be increasing the capacity of our South Boston plant. The employees we have there have worked hard in the last two years to improve its efficiency and production using new and complex equipment. We want to employ more people from the community to increase our production in South Boston further while continuing to emphasize efficiency and the quality of our product.
"The Halifax County Industrial Development Authority and the Commonwealth of Virginia provided us with the information and incentives we needed to decide to locate the expansion in South Boston rather than in our plants in Missouri or Utah. We appreciated their efforts on our behalf."
"I am delighted that O'Sullivan Industries is contributing to the economic growth of Halifax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia," said Barry E. DuVal, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. "Existing industries serve as the foundation of Virginia's economy."
Governor Gilmore approved a Governor's Opportunity Fund grant in the amount of $100,000 to assist Halifax County with site preparation. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority assisted the company with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.