RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Grucci, one of the largest fireworks entertainment companies and pyrotechnic manufacturing firms in the world, plans to expand its existing manufacturing and distribution facility in the City of Radford. Through a $100,000 investment, the company will create 53 new jobs at its existing facility in the Radford Arsenal. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the Grucci family’s initial expansion.
“I am pleased that Grucci will continue to expand its operations in the City of Radford,” said Governor Warner. “This expansion illustrates that, in addition to serving the Department of Defense, the Radford Arsenal is a strategic location for commercial manufacturing firms.”
Grucci’s manufacturing firm, Pyrotechnique by Grucci, has corporate offices and additional distribution facilities in Brookhaven, New York. The company began its primary manufacturing operations at the Radford Arsenal in January 1997. Grucci has produced many high-profile special events worldwide including the production of the last six U.S. Presidential Inaugurations, the pyrotechnics for the most recent Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and America’s Millennium Celebration in Washington, D.C. In addition to its success in the field of professional fireworks display productions, Grucci is a supplier of pyrotechnic devices and pyrotechnic components to the Department of Defense. Many of the pyrotechnic training devices for the U.S. military are manufactured in the Radford facility. Additionally, many of Grucci’s world-class fireworks display productions also originate from the same facility.
“The Radford Army Ammunition Facility and surrounding community provided the infrastructure, support services, workforce and facility capacity we require to achieve our long term goals and objectives,” said Phil Grucci, President of Pyrotechnique by Grucci. “We look forward to providing additional jobs and opportunities to the surrounding community as we continue to expand our operations.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership and the City of Radford assisted Grucci with its decision to expand. U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher has been instrumental in attracting new, commercial-oriented manufacturing employers to the Radford Arsenal. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.
“I am very pleased that Pyrotechnique by Grucci will expand its manufacturing and distribution center in the Radford Arsenal to create 56 new jobs,” said U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher. “I thank Governor Warner for his continued commitment to the economic development of Southwest Virginia by encouraging Grucci to create additional jobs. With today’s announcement, we can celebrate a victory for the economy of our region and another milepost in our effort to diversify the economy by attracting new jobs to Southwest Virginia.”