The Virginia Department of Business Assistance has relocted to 707 East Main Street, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23219. Their telephone number is (804) 371-8200. The mailing address is P. O. Box 446, Richmond, VA 23218-0446
Archived News and Events
I-895 Project: Bridge and road from I-95 at Falling Creek/Chippenham Parkway (Route 150) to I-295 near Richmond International Airport. Now under construction.
I-95/Walthall Interchange Project: Construction is progressing with completion scheduled by Winter of 1999.
Route 288 North Project: The four lane portion from the Powhite Parkway north to Route 60 is now under construction and scheduled to be completed by 2002. Construction of the two lane segment, from Route 60 to Patterson Ave. (Route 6) at West Creek in Goochland County, is scheduled to begin in 2001.
Chippenham Parkway (Route 150) Widening Project: Widening to six lanes from the Powhite Parkway to Route 1/301 is underway.
More information on all of these projects is available at the VDOT web site.
On March 4, 1999, State and local officials broke ground for constructing the next leg of state Route 288, which will become another major business and commercial corridor for the Richmond area. This portion will extend from the Powhite Parkway (SR 76) to Charter Colony Parkway. The section should be complete in 2001.
The Chesterfield County Department of Career Development has created a new course program for computer integrated technology (CIT) which will prepare graduates from the program to enter institutions of higher education to major in the growing fields of information technology, engineering and automated production systems.
Juniors and seniors are eligible to enroll in the program. Students who successfully complete all or part of the course sequence will be on the fast track to engineering or technician positions in these profitable and emerging vocations.
Most of these courses carry optional honor credit, and all of them carry dual credit, allowing successful students to transfer their credit to college.
The CIT Program is divided into three components: Computer Integrated Technology; Electronics; and AutoCAD. Lloyd C. Bird High School will house the CIT Program, and transportation will be provided to the school during the student’s junior and senior year.
Major employers in Central Virginia are seeking qualified candidates with associate and bachelor’s degrees in these fields. Being a part of this program will prepare Chesterfield County graduates to become a successful and profitable component of their team.
For more information about this program, contact your school’s guidance department or the Department of Career Development at (804) 768-6165.
In 1994, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors initiated the Business Appreciation Award, and presents four awards annually, one each to Large, Medium and Small Business, as well as a Developer of the Year Award.
This year, the Board proudly recognized Columbia Gas of Virginia as the recipient of the Medium Business Appreciation Award and presented them with a resolution and plaque at the February 24th Board of Supervisors Meeting. Mr. Anthony Trubisz, President and CEO, and Ms. Elizabeth Moran, Manager of Economic Development, were present to accept the award and resolution.
In order to be eligible for this prestigious award, the company must: be responsive to Community needs; have made a significant contribution to the economic vitality of Chesterfield County; demonstrate a commitment to high standards of integrity for employees, customer and the community; and be located in Chesterfield County.
Columbia Gas has been an excellent corporate citizen and a team leader in economic development, not only in Chesterfield, but throughout the region. They have been cosponsors of Virginia Works and Chesterfield’s Business Appreciation Week. In addition, Columbia has representatives on the Chesterfield Education Foundation, the Chesterfield Business Council, the John Tyler Community College PEER Consortium and United Way.
The company, through its Education 2000 program, has established a partnership with Reams Road Elementary School where their employees volunteer an hour each week to tutor students in reading, math and science. A “lunch buddies” program has also been established where volunteers are paired with students and have lunch once a week throughout the school year.
This year, Columbia Gas donated surplus office furniture, following a redesign of their office space at the Arboretum, to the Chesterfield Police Department for the substations in Cloverleaf Mall and Meadowbrook Shopping Center. The balance of the virtually new furniture was sent to the Richmond Emergency Shelter for their use in the office and in transitional housing.
Congratulations to Columbia Gas of Virginia as the 1999 recipient of the Medium Business Appreciation Award. Thank you for all you do for Chesterfield County.
The Richmond Angel Investor Network (RAIN) will enhance the availability of private capital to emerging companies by matching private investors and entrepreneurs seeking financing. The organization is developing a database of companies seeking investment and a parallel database of individuals and organizations interested in making investments in emerging companies. Investors will be assured that each company has in place a complete business plan and the professional relationships necessary to close a deal.
Entrepreneurs seeking investment capital are encouraged to submit information on theirproposed venture and the investment capital needed. Applicants will pay a small registration fee.
For more information contact RAIN at (804) 643-7246 or e-mail: rain@i2020.net
Please mark Friday, October 29, 1999 on your calendar for the next Virginia Works Conference, which will be held in the Nicholas Center on the John Tyler Community College campus.
The format will be changed to accommodate the busy work schedules of local businesses. The Virginia Works Conference will now be a half day conference, with a full breakfast served at 7:30 a.m. followed by the presentations at 8:30 a.m. The conference should conclude at noon. Conference registration brochures will be sent out in the late summer. The agenda and keynote speakers will be posted in INSITES as they are confirmed.
The new Business, Industry and Government Services (BIGS) brochures will be updated and available in mid-March. Many new programs are being offered. Call the BIGS Center at (804) 796-4041 for more information, or to receive the updated brochure.
Please welcome Ms. Becky Fain to the BIGS Center staff. She was recently hired as the new coordinator for the John Tyler BIGS Center. She will be working with business and industry to assist with the increase in demand in workforce development. Becky comes to John Tyler from the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services were she accumulated extensive experience in working with business and industry workforce needs. Welcome Becky, and good luck with your new responsibilities at the John Tyler BIGS Center. Ron Laux will stay with the BIGS Center and John Tyler in an expanded capacity.
Capital One Financial Corporation will expand its River’s Bend operation by 45,000 square feet and add 350 associates. The River’s Bend facility will now total 123,000 square feet and employment will reach 950.
Capital One opened its River’s Bend call center operation in Chesterfield in 1998 leasing 78,000 square feet and began hiring 600 people. This new expansion will help Capital One accommodate their rapid Growth trajectory which includes adding 20,000 new customers a day.
Recently, the company was ranked #41 by FORTUNE magaine (January 11, 1999 issue) in its listing of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.” Capital One is the only Virginia based company on the list.
Capital One was attracted to southeastern Chesterfield County by the size of the skilled labor pool, by opportunities the River’s Bend Center site offers for expansion, and the the convenient access to I-95.
Capital One officials have been extremely pleased with the quality of new employee applicants. The company has contributed $100,000 to fund Capital One Child Care and Youth Training at the Chester Family YMCA and $130,000 towards a partnership with John Tyler Community College and Chesterfield Public Schools to provide a work skills training program for high school and community college students.
The Greater Richmond Employment Assistance Team (GREAT), a public-private partnership with the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, has applicants ready to hire. As part of the Welfare to Work initiative, GREAT is coordinating a multi-tiered process that provides assessment and evaluation of candidates, prepares candidats for a successful work experience, and provides transportation and day care assistance for qualified employment candidates. Hiring of these candidates qualifies a company for tax breaks. For more information contact the GREAT job line at (804)222-0400.
Would you like to determine if your computer is Y2K compliant? The small Business Administration offers a “Y2K Self-Assessment and Checklists for Small Business” at: http://www.sba.gov/y2k/indexcheck.html
Nominations are being accepted for Metro Business Monthly’s second annual Best Small-Business Web Site contest. Send nominations by e-mail to mhoward@timesdispatch.com or mail them to Maria Osborn Howard, Metro Business Monthly, P. O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293. The deadline for nominations is April 28, 1999.
Nominees for the Best Small-Business Web Site must be businesses based in the Richmond or Tri-Cities areas with 100 or fewer employees.
For this year’s contest, a company may nominate its own Web site or those of others. Individual consumers also may nominate sites that they have found particularly helpful or appealing.
Winners will be announced in the June issue of Metro Business Monthly, which will be dedicated to small-business topics. This special issue will coincide with the national Small Business Week and other activities planned for that month.
Eternal Technology Corporation, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of dry film photoresist
materials, will locate a new facility in Chesterfield County. The Richmond metropolitan
area will gain up to 120 new jobs and more than $35 million in investment from the project
over the next several years.
Governor Jim Gilmore hailed them as the first major Taiwanese manufacturer to locate in
Virginia. “Eternal will be a welcome addition to the state’s growing high-tech
electronics manufacturing sector” he said.
Eternal Technology Corporation is a subsidiary of Eternal Chemical Company Ltd. that is
based in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Chesterfield plant will be their first United States
manufacturing facility. Eternal Technology will produce photoresist film that enables
printed circuit board manufacturers to produce extremely fine circuit patterns on
copper-clad laminated plates through a photo-imaging process.
“We chose Chesterfield County, Virginia because of its strategic business
location,” said Ying Kao, president of Eternal Technology Corporation. “We will
utilize Virginia’s excellent transportation infrastructure to carry our products and
we have great confidence in the state’s skilled workforce.”
The 65,000 square foot facility will be located in the Appomattox Industrial Center,
with immediate access to the new I-95/Walthall interchange. Eternal will also accrure
several state and county tax benefits by locating here which is part of a large Enterprise
Zone. The building plans provide for an additional 10,000 square feet of manufacturing
space which would bring the total investment up to $35 million.
This project was designated as FAST TRACK and the complex site plan received
substantial approval in 8 days. The process was expedited by several preliminary meetings
between the desgin/build contractor McKinney and Company and the county review staff.
Chesterfield County has recognized AlliedSignal as the recipient of the Large Business of 1998 award. Each business quarter, the Chesterfield Economic Development Department, in association with several other organizations, selects honorees from several different categories that include small, medium business of the year and developer of the year. At the December 16th board meeting, AlliedSignal was recognized based on the award criteria of economic vitality, commitment to quality and community involvement.
AlliedSignal has a fiber production plant on Bermuda Hundred Road and a Technical Center located off the Walthall exit of I-95. AlliedSignal employs nearly 4,000 workers, of which 2,200 come from Chesterfield, with a payroll of $164 million.
In the arena of community involvement Allied has recently pledged $190,000 to the United Way campaign, donated land for the Bensley-Bermuda Emergency Rescue Squad to build its new facility and most recently took part in the Angel Tree program.
AlliedSignal uses the Six Sigma system as a method of making improvements to the manufacturing process and eliminating defects in the final product.
Chesterfield County
|
|
|
Investment |
# New |
Type of |
Square |
Space | ||||
|
Date |
Company |
($ millions) |
Employees |
Facility |
Footage |
Type |
||||
|
1-98 |
Hon Company |
1.600 |
0 |
Expansion |
50,000 |
New |
||||
|
1-98 |
Allied Signal |
22.000 |
18 |
Expansion |
11,644 |
New |
||||
|
2-98 |
Quantum Silicones |
2.000 |
7 |
New |
13,060 |
Existing |
||||
|
3-98 |
Lumberg, Inc. |
2.500 |
100 |
Expansion |
35,000 |
New |
||||
|
3-98 |
Microhandling, Inc. |
0.100 |
2 |
New |
3,000 |
Existing |
||||
|
3-98 |
Schmitt, E.G., Inc. |
N/A |
30 |
New |
79,000 |
Existing |
||||
|
3-98 |
Capital One Services |
14.000 |
600 |
New |
74,000 |
Existing |
||||
|
4-98 |
Cintas |
6.400 |
200 |
New |
47,600 |
New |
||||
|
4-98 |
Belk of Virginia |
2.268 |
0 |
Expansion |
28,000 |
Existing |
||||
|
4-98 |
LandAmerica Financial |
23.500 |
417 |
New |
126,896 |
Existing |
||||
|
5-98 |
E & R Sales |
0.825 |
16 |
Expansion |
35,000 |
Existing |
||||
|
5-98 |
Legg US, Inc. |
2.500 |
35 |
New |
35,000 |
New |
||||
|
7-98 |
Sun Chemical |
6.000 |
72 |
New |
54,000 |
New |
||||
|
7-98 |
Building Specialties |
0.300 |
18 |
New |
17,000 |
New |
||||
|
7-98 |
Maruchan Virginia |
3.500 |
0 |
Expansion |
105,000 |
New |
||||
|
8-98 |
Elliptus Software |
50.000 |
200 |
New |
20,000 |
Existing |
||||
|
9-98 |
Rogar International |
1.000 |
40 |
New |
50,000 |
New |
||||
|
|
Bernstein, Inc. |
0.500 |
7 |
New |
n/a |
New |
||||
|
|
Rehrig International |
22.000 |
550 |
New |
315,000 |
New |
||||
|
|
Carter Wallace |
5.000 |
5 |
Expansion |
20,000 |
New |
||||
|
|
DuPont |
25.000 |
0 |
Expansion |
13,000 |
New |
||||
|
Total |
190.993 |
2,317 |
1,132,200 |
Archived Article:
1997 Investment Announcements
The 4th Annual Virginia Works Conference was held last October and was as successful as its preceding events. For the first time in conference history, both John Tyler and J. Sergeant Reynolds were linked via satellite so attendees had a choice of which campus they would attend. This technology made the conference more regional in it approach and made it possible for the speakers to reach even more attendees. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) hooked up community colleges statewide to view Virginia Works live. Next year’s conference will offer hook ups in locations statewide through both the community college system and private industry. Virginia Works has been instrumental in partnering business and education to discuss and solve issues facing the workforce of both the present and future.
Mark Friday, October 29, 1999 on your calendar and watch INSITES for more details of the new hi-tech version of Virginia Works. Maybe your company can be a host location for the event. For more information about Virginia Works or the many services available at John Tyler Community College, contact Ron Laux, Director of Business, Industry and Government Services (BIGS) at (804) 796-4041 or or visit the BIGS Center online at
http://www.jt.cc.va.us/.
Carter-Wallace, the manufacturer of Trojan brand condoms, will be constructing an additional 20,000 sq. ft to their existing facility in Appomattox Industrial Center. The new construction is needed to expand their production capacity.
Bernstein US, a subsidiary of Hans Bernstein GMBH and Co., of Germany, has begun operations here in the Old Stage Corporate Center. They have purchased 13 acres adjacent to their current facility and plan to build a manufacturing facility and create 25 jobs.
Hans Bernstein GMBH and Co. was established in 1947 to manufacture electronic components, including enclosures, switches and sensors. It currently employs 500 people and has annual sales of about $60 million.
Rehrig International, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of plastic shopping carts and wheeled, non-powered material handling equipment, will construct a new, 315,000 square feet manufacturing facility in the James River Industrial Center which is located in Chesterfield County. The company is a subsidiary of Cravey, Green & Wahlen, Inc. of Atlanta and is currently operating in Richmond. All of their 450 employees will relocate to the new, expanded facility.
Rehrig was founded in 1975 and began producing shopping carts and material handling equipment in the City of Richmond in 1975. The quality of their shopping cart products is known globally, and the company currently has sales worldwide in the supermarket industries.
The development team selected for this project include Panattoni Development, DPR Construction and Rose Architects.
The James River Industrial Center in Chesterfield County was chosen by Rehrig because of its convenient location, rail access, expandability and Enterprise Zone status.
According to Matthew Coyle, Project Manager, “Rehrig is excited about our opportunity in Chesterfield County. We have been a successful company in Virginia for many years and look forward to a long relationship. Without the help and support of the community and many of the local officials, Rehrig would be unable to accomplish this undertaking.”
He also added, “With this new facility, Rehrig will be able to double our current capacity.”
The company was assisted in their site location efforts by the Chesterfield Department of Economic Development.
The Virginia Department of Business Assistance has launched a web site to help the state’s companies. The site highlights each of the department’s concentrations: existing industry development, workforce services, financial services, small business development and administration.
The Virginia Department of Business Assistance offers counseling on small-business managment, links to capital sources and workforce training, among other programs. The department was established by the General Assembly in 1996 with a goal of strengthening the state’s economy by providing a crucial point of contact for business and industry. Dave Dickson is the director of the department and can be reached at (804) 371-8216.
Rogar International, employs about 35 people and manufactures gourmet kitchen products such as pot racks and wine bottle openers. The firms products are sold in more than 2000 retail outlets, from Wal-Mart to Neiman Marcus. Their new 50,000 square foot facility in Oak Lake Business Center should be ready in January 1999.
Rogar originally moved to the Richmond area in 1989 from Texas and began rebuilding their business that was killed by the Resolution Trust Corp. Since starting over here, Rogar’s business has grown steadily at about 10 percent a year.
In September, Rogar was named a winner of the 1998 Blue Chip Enterprise Initiative Award. The honor is sponsored jointly by MassMutual Life Insurance Co. and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. The ward recognizes small companies that have overcome adversity to become stronger businesses.
The Chesterfield County Technical Center is planning for the future and soliciting suggestions for both curriculum and building renovations.
Renovations to the Chesterfield County Technical Center are necessary to prepare the county’s students for work in high-tech industries. School officials say that the building will be designed around the curriculum and be flexible enough to remain functional as technology changes and programs are adjusted. The school system is collecting input about the programs the center will offer, while the architect is seeking suggestions about the design.
You can access a Web site that outlines the purpose of the renovations and gives educators and designers a way to offer suggestions at http://www.bcwh.com/CTC. School officials and the architects will gather information through mid-September.
Educators in Chesterfield County have been visiting area businesses and industry in an innovative effort by the public school system to develop closer ties to its business community. A special cadre of 71 ambassadors is making site visits, interviewing local managers and meeting with employees with children in the public schools. Ambassadors were hand-picked in the spring by school principals for their leadership and communication skills; in the ranks are classroom teachers, guidance counselors, and assistant principals.
During the summer months, each ambassador works with his or her assigned company and ultimately completes a written profile about that company for use by the school division. Included is information about entry-level jobs; workforce skills; awareness and impressions of school division performance; partnership potential; and opportunity for communicating with student’s parents at the work site. In return for their efforts, participating educators receive credit towards recertification.
Seventy-one businesses and industries are participating in the Chesterfield County Public Schools Ambassador Program, the first such effort of its kind. Participating companies were recruited by Chesterfield County Public Schools in cooperation with the assistance of the county’s economic development office and the Chesterfield Public Education Foundation. The emphasis of the program’s first year is upon industry, manufacturing and major employers in Chesterfield County. The program is intended to be an important mechanism for employer feedback and an invaluable opportunity for educators to become familiar with the business environment. Company profiles will be analyzed and followed-up by an interdisciplinary team within the school division as well as by an independent team from Virginia Commonwealth University.
All company profiles will be completed by September 4. Fifteen profiles are already available for review. The program is paying off; it has netted students summer jobs, resulted in new partnership relationships, and provided participants with an unparalleled professional development experience. For more information, please contact Lynn Wilson at 751-4736
Elliptus Technologies, a subsidiary of Chesterfield County based LandAmerica Financial Group, relocated its corporate headquarters from Houston to The Arboretum office park. It is eventually expected to employ 250 workers and invest $50 million.
Elliptus was established in Denver, Colorado in 1984 and later became a subsidiary of Lawyers Title Insurance Company, which recently became LandAmerica Financial Group. Elliptus is a technology solution company that develops innovative software designed for the real estate and title insurance industry. Elliptus recently announced TitleQuest 2000, the first Internet browser based title production in the title industry.
Maruchan Virginia recently completed a 105,000 sq. ft. expansion of the warehouse at their processing plant in the Chesterfield Airpark. The total building size now exceeds 450,000 sq. ft. The company makes ramen noodle products and instant soups.