RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Celanese Acetate LLC will expand its research and development capacity in Giles County. The expansion will create 55 new jobs at its existing Narrows facility, which currently employs more than 1,000 people. The new jobs include skilled positions such as chemists, engineers and technicians with higher-than-average salaries for the county. 

RICHMOND - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership today announced that seven Virginia companies successfully completed the state’s two-year VALET (Virginia Leaders in Export Trade) program, collectively attaining $19 million in export sales. 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. Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Michael J.

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that CMA-CGM, the world’s fifth largest steamship line, will locate its North American headquarters in the City of Norfolk. Through an $11.5-million investment, CMA-CGM will create 116 new jobs for Norfolk. The company also plans to consolidate its Virginia Beach facility into the new Norfolk operation – retaining 260 existing CMA-CGM jobs for the Commonwealth. Virginia successfully competed with a number of other locations for the project.

RICHMOND - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) has appointed Guillermo Parodi, a business executive with extensive experience in international management consulting and sales, as its trade representative in Europe. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Parodi joins VEDP’s other global trade representatives – located in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Mexico and Brazil – in developing new markets for the Commonwealth’s exports. Virginia’s office has been located in Europe since 1968 – longer than any other U.S. state economic development or trade office.

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Rage Corporation, a plastics manufacturer, will locate a new facility in Campbell County’s Town of Altavista. Through a $2-million investment, the company will create 25 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed with Ohio for the project.

“I am very pleased that Rage Corporation has decided to locate a new manufacturing facility in Altavista,” said Governor Warner. “With a strong cluster of successful plastics companies, Virginia is the optimal location for this investment.”

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Kollmorgen Corporation, a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation, will expand its operations in the City of Radford. Through a $2.85-million investment, the company will establish a customer support center to service its worldwide customer base. The project will create 71 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina and Illinois for the project.

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Executive Protection Systems (EPS), a homeland security company, will expand in the City of Winchester. Through a $250,000 investment, the company will create 30 new jobs.

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, a leading manufacturer of trailers for the commercial trucking industry, will expand its operations in Smyth County and create 100 new jobs. Through an $11.5-million investment, the company will modernize and increase its production of refrigerated trailers, also known as “reefer” trailers. Virginia successfully competed with other states for the project.

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that America Online, Inc. (AOL) will open two new offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virtus Marketing has been awarded the contract to manage these sales and customer service operations for AOL. Through a $500,000 investment in Southwest Virginia, the project will create 67 new jobs in the City of Norton. The office will be located on the third floor of the historic Hotel Norton. In Greater Richmond, the project will create 40 new jobs through a $250,000 investment.

RICHMOND - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) Board of Directors selected its new Chair, J. Thomas Fowlkes of Bristol, and Vice Chair, Steve DelBianco of Fairfax. The officers were elected during the quarterly VEDP board meeting on March 3, 2004. The Partnership also welcomed Charles H. Majors of Danville and James E. Ukrop of Richmond to its Board of Directors.