Governor Kaine Announces Quality Culvert Will Locate in Greensville County

RICHMOND - Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Quality Culvert Inc., a Florida-based manufacturer of plastic and concrete pipe, will invest $6.8 million to build a new 58,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Greensville County Industrial Park. The project will create 50 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project.

“It’s always exciting to welcome a new company to Virginia,” said Governor Kaine. “I applaud the aggressive efforts of the county, the local industrial development corporation and state economic development groups for making this investment and these new jobs a reality.”

Headquartered in Astatula, Florida, Quality Culvert Inc. is a subsidiary of County Materials Corporation in Wisconsin. The company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities produce high-density polyethylene corrugated pipe used for commercial and residential applications.

John Sonnentag, Quality Culvert President, said, “The State and County offered a program and assembled a deal that was superior to other locations. They worked hard to present a package that was attractive to us and addressed our concerns. We are very excited about beginning operations in Greensville County and pleased with the opportunity that this represents.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Greensville County and the Emporia-Greensville Industrial Development Corporation to prepare the state’s proposal and negotiate an incentive package to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Kaine approved a $100,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Greensville County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $100,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds.

The project also will receive funding from a Community Development Block Grant, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, also administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. In addition, Quality Culvert qualifies for rail access funding from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide training assistance through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Greensville County is pleased to welcome Quality Culvert to our community,” said Peggy R. Wiley, Greensville County Board of Supervisors chairwoman. “Quality Culvert brings many jobs to an area of Southside Virginia that has a high unemployment rate. In addition, the location of Quality will further diversify our economy, making it stronger. We look forward to being part of Quality Culvert’s future and we are anxious to demonstrate to them that they have made the best decision on location. Without the assistance of Governor Kaine, the Tobacco Commission, and VDOT’s Division of Rail, the location of Quality Culvert to Greensville County would not have been possible.”