The Small Business New Jobs Initiative and the Retraining Initiative are two new programs under the Virginia Department of Businesses Assistance’s (DBA) Workforce Services Program that will better allow DBA to serve the needs of Virginia’s small businesses and the retraining needs for Virginia’s workforce.

Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company announced that it will construct a Nylon-MXD6 production facility in Chesterfield County. The new production plant, based on Mitsubishi’s proprietary polymer technology, will be an investment of $14,000,000 and is expected to employ 30 new workers.

City Ice creates cool bags for cooler product. Ukrops’ put handles on their grocery bags, now a local company has put handles on their ice bags. City Ice, located in Chester, is now selling some of its ice in heat-sealed bags with handles that makes handling the bags much easier. And the company makes the bags on site. The bags are not only easier to handle but tamper resistant.

Chesterfield County has earned an AAA bond rating on its Utility Department bonds from the three top rating services, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.

Facing a wave of retirements, they predict 1,000 job openings in the next year, according to Brett Vassey, business services manager for the Virginia Department of Business Assistance.