Today members of the Staunton River Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA) announced a local performance agreement they had reached with Staunton River Plastics Inc, a manufacturer which will bring 200 new jobs to Hurt. 

The performance agreement, titled “Project Emotion,” will allow Staunton River Plastics to begin constructing a new facility in the former Klopman Mills site which now serves as the Southern Virginia Multimodal Park. 

Leading the announcement was the Staunton River RIFA chairman Sherman Saunders as he stood atop a stage constructed in the grass field of Wayside Park. 

“I am proud of the partnerships that have been forged between the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County and the Town of Hurt in order to encourage investment and job creation within our region,” said Saunders, one of the three members of the Staunton River RIFA which come from the Danville City Council. “As Chairman of the Staunton River Regional Industrial Facility Authority, we welcome Staunton River Plastics, LLC as the first tenant within the Southern Virginia Multimodal Park. By expanding its footprint into Hurt, this company will provide quality employment opportunities for residents throughout the Southern Virginia region.” 

~ Morgan Olson to invest $57.8 million to establish new walk-in step van assembly operation in former IKEA plant ~

DANVILLE—Governor Ralph Northam announced today that Morgan Olson, LLC, North America’s leading manufacturer of all-aluminum walk-in step vans, will invest $57.8 million to establish a new walk-in step van assembly operation in a 925,000-square-foot plant in

Danville-Pittsylvania County currently owned by IKEA. Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky, North Carolina, and Ohio for the project, which will create 703 new jobs.

In July, IKEA announced it would shut down its Danville-Pittsylvania County facility, the company’s only manufacturing site in the United States, resulting in an expected loss of approximately 300 jobs. Morgan Olson’s operation will be housed in the plant currently owned by IKEA, which had planned to close in December 2019. Current IKEA employees will receive priority consideration as part of Morgan Olson’s hiring process.

“Securing a project of this magnitude is a big win for Danville-Pittsylvania County, Southern Virginia, and the entire Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “Not only will Morgan Olson ensure the future of this plant for many years to come, they will also provide valuable new jobs to hundreds of hard-working citizens of this region. As a native of rural Virginia, I fight every day to ensure all parts of our Commonwealth can participate fully in our economic growth. I am grateful to Morgan Olson, my team, and our tremendous partners for making today possible.”

Headquartered in Sturgis, Michigan, Morgan Olson’s legacy of building their iconic step vans began in 1946 with the production of the first “all-aluminum” step van. Today, Morgan Olson step vans are used to deliver online purchases to homes and businesses throughout North America. In 2003, Morgan Olson was purchased by J.B. Poindexter & Co., Inc. (JBPCO), a diversified manufacturing company headquartered in Houston, Texas. JBPCO has eight profitable subsidiaries, with combined revenues of $1.4 billion and 6,200 employees.

Litehouse, Inc. to invest $46 million in first East Coast production facility

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Litehouse, Inc., a leader in refrigerated salad dressings, dips, cheese, freeze dried herbs, and other innovative consumer packaged goods, will invest $46 million to acquire and expand Sky Valley Foods and establish its first East Coast production facility in the City of Danville. The company will retain the Sky Valley Foods employees and create an additional 160 new jobs over the next five years. Virginia successfully competed with Utah and South Carolina for the project.

“Litehouse’s decision to take root in the City of Danville and establish its first East Coast production facility is another great example of how Southern Virginia’s industry-responsive training programs and highly skilled workforce create an ideal environment for manufacturers to thrive,” said Governor Northam. “This flourishing company sets the bar for corporate responsibility in its industry, and we look forward to many years of shared prosperity for Litehouse, its dedicated owners-employees, and the Commonwealth.”

Litehouse, Inc. is a leader in refrigerated salad dressings, dips, cheese, freeze dried herbs and other innovative and delicious products. Founded in Hope, Idaho by the Hawkins family in 1963, Litehouse is proud to be a 100 percent employee-owned company. Each of the employee-owners is committed to providing great-tasting, high-quality food made with real ingredients and crafted with care. The company has five other manufacturing facilities in the United States located in Michigan, Utah, and Idaho. Litehouse’s award-winning products are available in North America through general retail, e-commerce, foodservice, deli, club stores, and value-added goods such as meal and salad kits.

Essel Propack to invest $31.2 million to expand manufacturing facility

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Essel Propack, a global specialty packaging company serving the consumer goods and pharmaceutical sectors, will invest $31.2 million to expand its manufacturing facility in the City of Danville. Virginia successfully competed with Brazil and Argentina for this project, which will create 45 new jobs.

“The City of Danville is a hub for applied research and technological innovation in the advanced manufacturing industry, and Essel Propack has been an important part of this ecosystem since its arrival in 2002,” said Governor Northam. “With access to the region’s pipeline of skilled talent and low operating costs, Essel Propack has flourished in Southern Virginia. We are proud to have a company of this caliber on our corporate roster, and look forward to the Essel Propack’s continued success in the Commonwealth.”

Essel Propack is a publicly-held company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Founded in 1982, the company produces a wide range of multilayer collapsible tubes and laminates used for packaging in personal care, food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. Essel Propack employs over 2,850 employees worldwide, including 252 at its first and only U.S. manufacturing operation in the City of Danville. The expansion will allow the company to double production at the Danville facility through the introduction of new Super High-Output tubes (SHOT) technology.

Supply Resources and Lynchburg Public Warehouse are pleased to announce their expansion in the Lynchburg area market, with the acquisition of the Veritiv/xpedx (formerly Dillard Paper) distribution center in Lynchburg VA. SRI and LPW are under the common ownership of Rick Barker and are headquartered in Danville VA.

Supply Resources, is a packaging design, sourcing and distribution company serving customers in the industrial, retail and distribution sectors. Lynchburg Public Warehouse, is a complimenting warehouse-fulfillment company that provides logistics support for some of the region’s largest employers.

Lynchburg is a dynamic market with demanding third-party logistics (3PL) requirements from various regional industries. With today’s popular Just-In-time business philosophy, many companies need warehousing, inventory management, and local transportation to manage their lean manufacturing/distribution operations.

A United Kingdom-based manufacturer will invest $8 million to build a plant and bring 49 jobs to the Dan River Region over five years.

Harlow Group Ltd. will locate its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the Cyber Park in Danville. Founded in 1975 and based in Harlow, U.K., the company offers services ranging from product design to production of sheet metal products. Its customers include GE, Pitney Bowes, Raytheon, Sony, BF Goodrich and Lotus.

The company will build a 30,000-sqaure-foot facility and operate in Danville as Harlow Fastech. It will be in the Hawkins Building at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research during construction.

In addition, the company will establish a U.S. Training Center of Excellence, a new facility that will focus on additive manufacturing.

Governor Ralph Northam was in Danville Thursday where he announced that a manufacturing plant is investing $8 million to locate it first U.S. precision sheet metal fabrication plant in the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County.

Harlow Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom-based company that will establish a U.S. Training Center of Excellence, a new facility with a focus on additive manufacturing, which will be located in the Danville-Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility Authority-owned Cyber Park.

Virginia successfully competed against Alabama for this project, which will create 49 new jobs.

Harlow Group to invest $8 million, create 49 jobs over five years

A new manufacturing facility is coming to Southside.

The Harlow Group will establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Danville.

The $8 million investment will create 49 jobs over five years.

"Good paying jobs that I believe are about $20,000 higher than the average in this area. What tremendous news this is," Gov. Ralph Northam said, making the announcement at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville Thursday.

A UK-based manufacturer has chosen Danville for the site of its first U.S. plant, economic development officials announced Thursday.

Harlow Group Ltd., an advanced manufacturer of highly engineered assemblies, fabrications and precisions metal work services, will house its operation in the Danville Cyber Park. The company expects to invest $8 million to build the manufacturing plant and create 49 jobs, according to a news release.

Harlow Group, LTD will spend $8 million to expand its operations to Danville.

The company will construct a 30,000 square-foot facility in the Danville Cyberpark, employing 49 workers over the next 5 years.

Gov. Ralph Northam said the company will pay a wage that is “about $20,000 higher than the area average.” The company will pay an average annual wage of $55,000.