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.

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.

BGF Industries Inc. will invest $7 million to relocate its corporate headquarters and R&D operation from North Carolina to Danville and Pittsylvania County.

BGF is a U.S. manufacturer of high-performance technical fiber materials for global markets.

BGF plans to build a 25,000-square-foot facility in 2019 in the Danville-Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility-owned Cyber Park. The building is planned to be used as a headquarters and a research and development facility.

CHATHAM – An additive feed manufacturer is coming to the long-vacant Techma building in Gretna.

Micro Blenders, Inc. will invest more than $3.5 million and bring 15 jobs to the northern Pittsylvania County town over the next three years, Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry announced Friday morning at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham.

The family-owned operation could have expanded in its home state or built a new facility in North Carolina, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring told attendees.

“But they chose the Commonwealth of Virginia to do their business,” Ring said, pointing to agriculture as the state’s first industry.

Virginia competed with North Carolina for the project.

A longstanding corporate citizen of Chatham, Eastern Panel Manufacturing Inc. is investing $1 million to expand its manufacturing operations. The custom plywood manufacturer recently moved from its former 30,000-square-foot site to a 55,000-square-foot facility in the Chatham Industrial Park.

Matt Rowe, Pittsylvania County’s director of economic development, knew Eastern Panel was in growth mode. He contacted the company’s president, Keith Van Asch, as soon as he learned it was looking for a new facility.  

“I knew the company was testing the water to see how the market was building product-wise. They were looking at numerous options,” Rowe says. “I wanted to show him what kind of building product we had. He liked what we put together.”

Good news for Pittsylvania County: dozens of new jobs are coming to town.

Amthor International, which is a tanker truck manufacturer, has been in Gretna since 1992. Now, they will be expanding, adding 90 new jobs over the next five years, and much more.

"Amthor International, the largest tanker truck manufacturer in North America, is going to invest $7.1 million to expand its operations in Gretna, Virginia," announced Virginia's Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Todd Haymore.