Richmond - Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) has unveiled a new web site at its home address, www.YesVirginia.org. Virginia is introducing an innovative feature on the site which allows the user to “compare Virginia’s advantages” to the other 49 states. A U.S. map shows all states with a direct hyperlink to their respective economic development offices. Additional features include a Region of the Month, a weather report, and an up-to-the minute stock ticker.
RICHMOND - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that VeriSign, Inc., a leading provider of Internet trust services, will establish a call center near Bluefield. The center will mean approximately 100 new jobs and a $2.5 million investment for the area. Verisign will subcontract the operation of the center to another company, The Software Factory, which will staff a help desk and operate the call center.
NORFOLK - Governor Jim Gilmore and Ford Motor Company today announced the expansion of its Norfolk assembly plant with the addition of a 350,000 square-foot body shop. This expansion will generate up to 200 new jobs over today’s employment level of 2,400. During the next three years, Ford will invest approximately $375 million to expand the Norfolk facility, which assembles the popular F-150 pickup trucks.
RICHMOND - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will locate a food distribution center in the Zion Crossroads area of Louisa County, creating 600 new jobs for the region. The 880,000 square-foot facility, to be located on the northeast corner of US 15 and I-64, will begin construction in spring 2002, with planned service to stores expected in spring 2003. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for this investment of at least $40 million.
RICHMOND - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that Bristol Brass will relocate its headquarters from Bristol, Tennessee to Bristol, Virginia. The company’s new facility will consist of a 12,000 square-foot existing building and a 60,000 square-foot new building on the site formerly known as the Coal Technology Corporation property. Bristol Brass will invest $4 million and employ 125 people at this facility.
RICHMOND - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that LaJobi Industries, Inc. will locate a manufacturing operation in Blackstone. Headquartered in Edison, New Jersey, LaJobi Industries manufactures a line of baby cribs in Italy and sells them to national chain stores including Babies-R-Us and Burlington Coat Factory. The company is investing $4 million in the Blackstone facility, where it will hire 110 people to manufacture the complementary case goods for its cribs. Virginia successfully competed with New Jersey and Canada for this project.
BLAIRS, Va. - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that K-B Toys will locate a distribution facility in the former eToys building in Blairs, Virginia. The company will invest $10 million and create 150 new full-time jobs, including e-commerce database managers, inventory clerks, customer service representatives, systems administrators and management-level employees.
Newport News - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that Ferguson Enterprises will create 400 new jobs at its current corporate office in the Patrick Henry Commerce Center in Newport News. Ferguson, the largest plumbing supply distributor in the United States, is owned by Wolseley plc, the world’s largest specialist trade distributor of plumbing and heating products. Ferguson's significant expansion has resulted in the need for an additional $20.5 million facility at its Newport News headquarters campus.
Panaceutics to invest $5.8 million to establish pharmaceutical manufacturing operation