RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Charah, Inc., a specialized company that provides ash management services to the coal-fired electric utility industry, has invested $3 million to locate its business in the City of Emporia. The company will provide 28 new job opportunities for residents of Southside Virginia. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project.
“Charah, Inc. brings environmental, recycling. and technological benefits to Virginia,” said Governor Warner. “It makes good business sense for this company to locate in Emporia given its immediate access to major highways and the strong work force in the region. ”
The company, which expects to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2005, will bag ash-based concrete mix, a by-product of its ash management services, in an environmentally friendly, durable bag. Charah has entered a licensing agreement with PakMix to produce these and other standard concrete products under the PakMix trade name. The facility also will serve as a warehouse and distribution center. Founded in 1987, Charah has extensive experience in ash management, which incorporates processing and marketing ash products, ash removal, ash recycling, landfill management, structural fills and environmental compliance.
“Proximity to needed natural resources, an excellent infrastructure, and a central location to many of our large markets were all characteristics that factored into our decision to locate in Emporia,” said Charah Inc. President Charles Price. “Those considerations, as well as the pro-business climate of Emporia and Governor Warner’s strong approach to fiscal discipline for the Commonwealth, made Charah’s choice an obvious one.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked together with the Emporia-Greensville Industrial Development Corporation to secure the project for Virginia. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $60,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds to support the City of Emporia with the project. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide training through its Workforce Services Program.
“This is a great announcement for the entire Emporia-Greensville community,” said Emporia Mayor Sam Adams. “Charah will provide excellent employment opportunities for residents of Emporia and Greensville County. We appreciate the company’s investment in our community and look forward to a long-term, successful relationship.”