RICHMOND - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today announced the acceptance of two Southwest Virginia companies into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. Launched in January 2002, the program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as an expansion strategy. 

The new companies accepted into the program include American Mine Research, Inc. of Bland County, and TORC Robotics, LLC of Montgomery County.

RICHMOND - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today announced the acceptance of four Northern Virginia companies into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. Launched in January 2002, the program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as an expansion strategy.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Microsoft Corp. will invest $348 million to expand its modular data center site in Mecklenburg County. The company will build two additional facilities on its data center campus to increase capacity to serve its growing customer base. The project will create 30 new jobs. Microsoft’s original project in 2010 involved an investment of up to $499 million and 50 new jobs. In 2011 the company invested an additional $150 million to expand the site.

The Rail Industrial Access (RIA) program provides funds to construct railroad tracks for new or substantially expanded industrial and commercial projects having a positive impact on economic development in Virginia.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Daikin McQuay, a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd., will invest $9.2 million to expand its operation in Augusta County. Daikin McQuay is the world’s largest global manufacturer of commercial heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration and building management equipment and systems. The company will be upgrading the facility to increase its ability to generate market leading, energy-saving global chiller products. The project will create 50 new jobs.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Liebherr Mining Equipment Newport News Co., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of construction and mining equipment and an acknowledged supplier of technically innovative products and services in other fields, will invest $45.4 million to expand its operation in the City of Newport News and the City of Hampton. The project will create 174 new jobs over a 48-month period. Liebherr Mining Equipment Newport News Co.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Porter’s Group, LLC, a leader in fabricated metal products, has acquired a manufacturing location and assets in the City of Lynchburg and will establish its first Virginia operation. The company will invest an additional $1.8 million to upgrade the facility to produce fabricated metal products such as safes and related products and parts, creating 120 new jobs.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, will invest $96.2 million to expand and upgrade its Lipton Tea manufacturing plant in the City of Suffolk. This investment enables facility upgrades and the purchase of new production machinery for the largest tea processing facility in the United States. Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina for the project.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Shamrock Farms, one of the largest family-owned-and-operated dairies in the U.S., will build a $50 million dairy manufacturing facility in Augusta County. The project will create 60 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed against Maryland and West Virginia for the project.

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced Red Sun Farms, a producer of high-quality hydroponic vegetables, will invest a total of $30 million to establish its first U.S. high-technology greenhouse production operation in Pulaski County. The company will erect climate controlled greenhouses on 45 acres of land in the New River Valley Commerce Park to grow quality greenhouse grown vegetables, creating 205 new jobs within five years. Virginia successfully competed against Tennessee for the project.