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Chesterfield Increased Procurement Opportunities

In FY08, Chesterfield County did a record amount of business with minority-owned firms. A total of $8,739,870 was spent with minority contractors. That represents 5.53%, another record, of the total dollars spent for goods and services of $158,173,606. Dollars spent with women-owned businesses totaled $4,588,614, more than double the previous fiscal year’s total. Lastly, purchases from Chesterfield businesses were 13.79% of the county’s total dollars expended for another record total of $21,806,891. These figures do not include new school construction or food purchases. By code, the Purchasing Department is not responsible for purchasing for either of these areas.

Michael Bacile, Director of the County’s Purchasing Department credits much of this success on the vendors themselves in competing for the county’s business. He does, however, also give credit to the effort that the entire Purchasing staff has provided to open the doors to minority-owned, women-owned and Chesterfield businesses. “Our outreach efforts in hosting the “Breakfast with the Buyers” sessions with our partners in Economic Development, participating in the ProcureCon ASIA program, attending Virginia State University’s Vendor Fair, hosting a booth at Henrico County’s Small, Women-Owned and Minority Business Opportunity Fair, and other initiatives throughout the year have had a positive impact on improving the numbers for FY08.”

“You can be assured that we will continue to be proactive in our efforts to increase opportunities for participation by a more diverse group of vendors, as outlined in our Diversity Initiative” says Mr. Bacile.

Alstom Power Expanding Chesterfield County Plant

Alstom Groundbreaking Ceremony

Alstom Power, Inc., held a groundbreaking celebration on December 3, 2008 for a new Blade Manufacturing Facility at its Willis Road plant in Chesterfield County.

The new 20,000 square foot facility will enable them to manufacture turbine blades from 2” to 38” in length. They are currently able to manufacture approximately 7,000 blades each year at their present facility but expect that this expansion will allow them to more than double their annual blade production.

Alstom located their operations to Chesterfield County in the early 1970’s and have undergone several expansions. They currently employ over 150 employees at the Willis Road plant and expect to add 25 new employees over the next 36 months as their blade production capacity increases. The $7.5 million expansion is scheduled to be complete in early June 2009

Sabra Dipping Co. To Open New Plant In Chesterfield

Sabra logo

Sabra Dipping Company will open a state-of-the-art food processing plant in Chesterfield County. The plant will produce award-winning Sabra branded dips and spreads including the country’s best-selling Sabra hummus and vegetable dips. Current projections estimate 260 new jobs will result from the facility, beginning in mid 2010. Chesterfield County successfully competed against two other states for the project. The 110,000 square foot facility will be located on 49 acres in the Ruffin Mill Industrial Park at the Walthall interchange off Interstate 95.

Art Warren, Chairman of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors said, “Chesterfield is proud to welcome Sabra Dipping Company to our growing list of corporate citizens. Sabra was a targeted company by Chesterfield Economic Development. We thank Sabra for their investment and the growth potential they bring to the county. We look forward to enjoying their high quality products and having them made in Chesterfield.”

“In recent years, Sabra has emerged as a top brand in the growing dips category,” said Ronen Zohar, Chief Executive Officer for Sabra Dipping Company. “We are projecting growth and planning exciting innovation. We are very optimistic about our company’s plans for Chesterfield County and look forward to breaking ground and settling into the community.”

Sabra Dipping Company, LLC of Astoria, New York, makes a wide range of refrigerated dips and spreads using fresh herbs and spices, and authentic recipes and healthy vegetables. All of the products are certified kosher and vegetarian and available across the nation. With more than 50 percent growth in the past 52 weeks, Sabra is leading its category according to recent IRI reports.

Sabra Dipping Company was formed as a U.S./Canadian joint venture between Strauss Group and PepsiCo. The Sabra joint venture draws on both Strauss Group and Frito-Lay North America’s marketplace expertise to continue building this growing business. Frito-Lay is a business unit of PepsiCo. This will be the first new facility built since the formation of the Sabra Dipping Company joint venture.

Strauss Group (TASE: STRS), Israel’s second largest food and beverage Group, has over the past few years become an international corporation with a steadily growing part of its business conducted outside of Israel. The Group employs more then 11,000 people and operates in nineteen countries. Over the last five years, the Group has consistently achieved double-digit growth, doubling its business in that period and generating NIS 6 billion (around $1.7 billion) in turnover at the end of 2007, of which 45 percent originated in international activities. The Group focuses on key consumption trends in the food industry via three business divisions: Health & Wellness, Fun & Indulgence, and Coffee.

The Group collaborates with a number of leading multinationals – PepsiCo and Lavazza – and is traded on the Tel Aviv 25 Index.

The Group has cultivated its coffee business extensively and is among the top ten players in the world’s coffee markets with operations in 11 countries, and is one of the largest corporations in the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe and the second largest in Brazil. The Group’s global fun and indulgence activities have focused around the development of a unique line of chocolate bars under the Max Brenner brand. In North America, the Group’s health and wellness business is being led by Sabra. For more information, please visit www.strauss-group.com.

Frito-Lay North America is the $11 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, New York.

PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with 2007 annual revenues of more than $39 billion. The Company employs approximately 185,000 people worldwide, and its products are sold in approximately 200 countries. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. The PepsiCo portfolio includes 18 brands that generate $1 billion or more each in annual retail sales. PepsiCo’s commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on generating healthy financial returns while giving back to communities the Company serves. This includes meeting consumer needs for a spectrum of convenient foods and beverages, reducing the Company’s impact on the environment through water, energy and packaging initiatives, and supporting its employees through a diverse and inclusive culture that recruits and retains world-class talent. PepsiCo is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

“This high profile announcement in the food industry further solidifies Chesterfield’s presence in the international market. It is satisfying to see that, even in these tight economic times, manufacturing continues to grow in Chesterfield County. We welcome Sabra as the newest members of our corporate community” said County Administrator Jay Stegmaier.

In addition to Chesterfield Economic Development, Sabra was assisted in the site selection process by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Gateway Region and the Greater Richmond Partnership.

Contact:
Ilya Welfeld, Public Relations, Sabra Dipping Company
(201) 439-1010

Communities In Schools

Communities In Schools of Chesterfield (CIS) is a public/private partnership established in 1993 to promote academic achievement among at-risk youth. CIS coordinates and delivers education, health, and social support services to promote academic achievement by focusing on prevention and intervention to youth and their families. Over 1,000 at-risk youth received high school diplomas with support from CIS since program began in 1993.

CIS of Chesterfield is affiliated with Communities In Schools, Inc., the nation’s largest nonprofit dropout prevention program operating at more than 2,500 US sites. Through the CIS Mentoring program they are able to provide approximately 150 community volunteers who spend one hour weekly with an individual student, grades K-through 12.

CIS has raised over one million dollars to benefit Chesterfield County students. By providing financial support and in-kind services CIS is able to provide community resources to enrich programs for students and families. CIS recruits and trains mentors and other volunteers, develops school to work opportunities, provides job shadowing, internships, and career days.

The program has received numerous awards including the 1998 Governor’s Partnerships in Education Award, the Virginia Association of Partners in Education Award in 2000 and was the winner of Virginia Mentoring Partnership statewide award 2004.

For additional information on how you can volunteer your time or your company’s resources please call For additional information, Contact
Martha J. Frickert at (804) 717-9305.

Park 500 Plant Reduces Impact on James

Philip Morris USA’s Park 500 facility sits on about 500 acres along the James River in Chesterfield County. The Park 500 facility opened in 1975 to reuse tobacco materials discarded during the manufacturing process. By its nature a recycling facility, Park 500 processes small pieces of tobacco from other PM USA facilities into large sheets of tobacco. The water used during this process is treated in an on-site treatment plant before being discharged into the James River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.

The treated water contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are naturally present in agricultural products like tobacco. Although nutrients are necessary to sustain a healthy water environment, excessive levels of these nutrients in water ecosystems can cause algae blooms and other adverse impacts on aquatic life, impairing healthy rivers and bays.

Since 2001, PM USA has successfully reduced total nitrogen loadings to the James River by evaluating and instituting operational changes to the Park 500 facility’s wastewater treatment plant. PM USA has voluntarily reduced total nitrogen loadings to the river by 46 percent between 2001 and 2006.

To further reduce the environmental impact of their business, the company identified an innovative method known as a natural treatment system, or engineered wetlands, that would further reduce the level of nutrients in the wastewater discharge from Park 500 into the James River. Although natural treatment systems have been successful in further reducing nutrient levels for industrial and municipal facilities in other states, they are relatively new in Virginia.

The natural treatment system supplements the existing wastewater treatment plant at the Park 500 facility. Treated water from the on-site treatment plant will be routed through the established wetlands and microbes and other natural processes will further reduce the nutrient levels in the water before it is returned to the river.

German Automotive Supplier Opening $5 Million Plant

ept Automotive has leased 46,300 square feet of manufacturing space in River’s Bend in Chesterfield County for a new facility to produce electrical connectors for the automotive industry.

The facility, involving an estimated $5 million in investment, will open in October and is expected to create more than 50 jobs during the next three years.

ept (Electronic Precision Technology) automotive is a subsidiary of ept GmbH, Peiting, Germany, located about 60 miles southwest of Munich. A global supplier to the automotive industry for integrated solutions for electrical connection technology, the firm has more than 700 employees.

Willy Rau, president of ept america, was selected in February to establish the new production facility.

Thomas Guglhör, president of ept Automotive said, “We are very excited about our new production facility to be established in Chesterfield County. Virginia is perfectly located as a bridge between our parent company in Germany and our many automotive customers in the eastern half of the United States. The support we received from state, regional and local economic development officials goes back several years and helped make our decision a confident one.”

Mr. Rau added, “Chesterfield County offers a pool of experienced, skilled workers and managers that will contribute quickly to our mission. Having operated another business in Chesterfield for many years, I have great respect for Virginia’s business climate and the productivity of the local workforce.” Art Warren, Chairman of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors said, “Chesterfield is proud to welcome ept to our growing list of international corporate citizens. We are particularly happy to have another prominent advanced manufacturing company in the international automotive industry.”

In addition to Chesterfield Economic Development; ept was assisted in the site selection process by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the Greater Richmond Partnership.

Contact:

Willy Rau, President, ept Automotive, 804-715-3045; Willy.Rau@eptusa.com

Will Davis, Director, Chesterfield Economic Development (804) 318-8550

Chesterfield Rolls Out New Business Expansion Incentive Fund

The Business Expansion Incentive Fund (BEIF) was established for the purpose of securing job-creating economic development opportunities through the preservation and expansion of existing business in Chesterfield County. BEIF assistance may be in the form of a low-interest loan or a grant.

BEIF is a key component of the County’s goal to be a FIRST CHOICE business community and Chesterfield Economic Development’s mission to support the retention, growth, and expansion of the county’s existing industries.

“The Board has renewed its commitment to economic development as a priority, “ said Art Warren, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. ”At the heart of this commitment are our existing businesses and this new program further demonstrates that “Business Starts Here”.

Funds may be used for such things as public and private utility extension or capacity development on and off site; road, rail, or other transportation access costs beyond the funding capability of existing programs; development fees such as site plan, zoning, and building permitting fees; or recruitment, training or retraining costs.

All companies seeking BEIF assistance will be required to make a minimum capital investment of at least $50,000 and create/retain one job for every $10,000 in funding requested. Companies will be required to demonstrate financial stability and future growth potential.

“We realize that our existing industries account for over 70% of new investment in Chesterfield. This program will provide our existing companies with resources as they continue to invest in Chesterfield County,” said Jay Stegmaier, County Administrator.

Applications are made to the Chesterfield County Economic Development Department.
For eligibility requirements and more information, contact Chesterfield Economic Development at (804) 318-8550 or go to www.chesterfieldbusiness.com.

Colonial Marble Products Relocating to Chesterfield

Yukon Associates, LLC is building a 60,000 square foot manufacturing/
warehouse facility in Chesterfield on Port Walthall Drive. Colonial Marble Products, Ltd., of Petersburg, is the anchor tenant and will occupying 60,000 square feet. The company will be relocating 15 employees from the Petersburg facility.

The company has been creating quality MasterCast products since 1972 in Petersburg, VA. MasterCast is an umbrella term that describes a group of surfaces manufactured using a combination of polymers and natural stone elements such as marble, granite, gemstones, and other natural minerals. Common names for these types of surfaces are Cultured Marble, Cultured Granite, Cultured Onyx and Solid Surface.

The remaining 30,000 square feet of flex/warehouse space is available for lease. The estimated investment for the project is $4.8M.

Signs Now Opens in Harbour Pointe Village

Signs Now Midlothian has opened a new retail shop in Harbour Pointe Village located at 13610 Hull Street Road, Midlothian, Virginia. The company will create 5 new jobs at their new location.

Signs Now is a new and innovative approach to the sign and graphics marketplace. By taking a consultative approach to developing the right solution, Signs Now eliminates the hassles associated with sign and graphics projects. They coordinate the design, manufacturing, and installation in a process that adheres to their customer’s timeline. Whether you’re covering a building, wrapping a vehicle, directing, informing, or advertising, Signs Now has a solution. Their unique digital solutions allow them to offer a variety of digital color products from small to large, indoors to outdoors.

“As local business owners, we are committed to providing the personal attention and professional service that you expect from a neighbor. At the same time, we are your local connection to a global network of over 300 digitally integrated Signs Now centers. We have the resources to execute sign & graphics projects of any scope”, says Hugh Rick, owner and operator of the Midlothian franchise.

An interactive catalogue of all of their products and services can be found on their web site at www.signsnowmidlothian.com. For more information contact Signs Now at 804-595-SIGNS (7446) or email to info@signsnowmidlothian.com.

Boulevard Flower Gardens Wins Business Award

Each year during the Commonwealth’s Business Appreciation Week, Chesterfield County honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to organizations that consistently uphold the principles and standards of ethical business practices and that advertise and sell with integrity, and participate consistently in community, trade associations and local programs that better our county and region.

The Board of Supervisors and the selection committee recognized Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill as the recipient of Chesterfield County’s 2008 Business of the Year Award. Mark and Francine Landa, owners, were present at the Celebrate Chesterfield Business! Event held at the Highlands Golf Club. The Landa’s will receive their official recognition at the June 25th Board of Supervisors’ meeting at 3 p.m.

Mark and Francine purchased the business from Mark’s parents in 1982. They previously operated for over 50 years in a retail area in Colonial Heights. The new 33,000 square foot facility on Ruffin Mill Road sits on 25 acres of land and houses their retail operations, nursery and garden center. They currently have 38 full-time employees, 12 part-time and 20 seasonal employees at this facility. Their mission statement is “… to provide robust & healthy plant material, accurate horticulture advice and professional services to educate customers and insure gardening success.”
Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill was honored in 2007 by a national industry magazine as the Top Revolutionary Garden Center in the Southeast. They have donated to organizations like Christ & Grace Church, Virginia Tech and Make-A-Wish Foundation. Another community service project that they have initiated is growing over 6,000 mums for fall fund-raising projects for school and sports groups. The various groups take orders and deliver them, splitting the proceeds.

Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill is a family-owned business so they are very sensitive to family and work issues. They were awarded an honorary recipient of a 2007 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award by the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists and the Virginia Psychological Association. Boulevard Flower Gardens was complimented on their dedication to staff involvement in organizational processes, as well as employee growth and development.

Congratulations to Mark and Francine Landa and all the employees of Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill! You may find more information on their web site: http://www.boulevardflowergardens.com

ITT Expands in Chesterfield

ITT Educational Services Inc. signed a new lease for 30,000 square feet at 300 Gateway Centre Parkway in Chesterfield County, VA. The educational provider will fully occupy the single-story office building, which is being expanded by 9,000 square feet. Construction is expected to be complete by November. $1.7 million was invested in the expansion and additional instructors will be added.

ITT Technical Institute is a leading private college system offering technology-oriented programs. ITT Tech offers career-focused degree programs as well.

Chesterfield County Economic Development assisted in the expansion.

Chesterfield Joins Governor in Honoring Businesses


Chesterfield County joins the Commonwealth of Virginia in celebrating Business Appreciation Week throughout the Commonwealth. Coordinated each year by the Virginia Department of Business Assistance, Business Appreciation Week is scheduled for May 11th – 17th, 2008.

This year’s Business Appreciation Week theme is “The State of Small Business.” The Commonwealth and Chesterfield County recognize the efforts of each business – corporate leaders and small business owners alike – for their continuous work and dedication.

“Local businesses contribute to the strength of our local economy and provide enhanced quality of life for our residents,” said Chesterfield County Administrator James J. L. Stegmaier. “I am privileged to officially thank every business in our community during Business Appreciation Week.”

Chesterfield County Economic Development along with DuPont Spruance, the Master Sponsor, will host Celebrate Chesterfield Business! for local businesses in honor of Business Appreciation on May 14th. An invitation to the event is required. If you are interested, and are a Chesterfield County business, please contact Economic Development.

Other sponsors for this year’s event include Village Bank, Dominion Virginia Power, Townes Site Engineering, Austin Brockenbrough & Associates, Alliance Engineering, Altria and Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce.

Chesterfield County will also present the Annual First Choice Business Awards. Last year, BluePrint Automation was the 2008 Business of the Year. Village Bank was Community Service Award winner and GetLoaded.com won the Business Innovation Award.

For more information on this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield Business! contact Lori Perez at (804) 318-8567, or email at lori@chesterfieldbusiness.com

Trainor Glass Purchases Building

Trainor Glass Company purchased the 100,000 square foot former GCX building at 2001 Ware Bottom Spring Road and is in the process of up fitting it for their operations. The glazing contractor fabricates and installs glass products and aluminum framing systems for commercial and industrial applications, focusing on building exteriors and tenant interiors.

Total investment, including purchase of the building tenant up fit and equipment, is approximately $5.3 million. Twenty-five new jobs will be created in addition to the 72 jobs that are being transferred. The business will officially be open at the end of June 2008.

Trainor Glass ranked 5th in Glass Magazine’s June 2007 issue naming the top 50 glazers in the United States. The company is headquartered in Illinois and has been in operation since 1953. Trainor Glass has state of the art operations around the U.S. including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey/New York and Texas. http://www.trainorglass.com/

Ace Recycling to Locate in Chester

Ace Recycling announced that they would be operating an indoor materials recovery facility at The Sustainability Park in Chester. The project is expected to create approximately 30 new jobs and represents an investment of more than $6 million. The company will be modifying a 69,000 sq. ft. building to achieve a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Ace Recycling is a processor specializing in construction and demolition debris recycling, which commonly includes cardboard and paper, carpet, concrete, dirt, metal, plastic, wallboard and wood. Many of those materials can be reused and recycled. All of the activities will be conducted indoors, including the receipt of the material, sorting and separating debris, secondary processing, and loading outbound trucks.

Ace Recycling will be permitting its operations through the Department of Environmental Quality, a requirement for new materials recovery facilities. The company is hoping to have the facility operational by summer.

Public Protection Rating Improved

Chesterfield County’s ability to fight and prevent fires is reducing fire-insurance premiums paid by businesses and homeowners.

The Chesterfield County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services is pleased to announce an improvement to its public-protection rating. The rating is determined by the Insurance Service Office and used by insurance companies to calculate insurance premiums.

Effective Dec. 1, 2007, the county’s rating improved from a 5 to a 4 on a 10-point scale. The rating applies to the county’s urbanized areas and is expected to shave approximately $1 million overall from area fire-insurance premiums. Home and business owners are encouraged to contact their insurance companies to determine their potential savings.

The improved rating places the Department of Fire and EMS among the top 13 percent of departments rated by the Insurance Service Office, which is funded by insurance companies and maintains extensive information on more than 46,000 jurisdictions that provide fire-response services. A jurisdiction’s participation in the organization’s Public Protection Classification Program is voluntary.

In determining the county’s improved rating, the Insurance Service Office evaluated procedures of the Department of Fire and EMS, the county’s fire alarm and communication systems and its water-supply system. In addition to determining a rating, the evaluation helps jurisdictions determine opportunities for improvement, which can lead to further-improved ratings and even lower insurance premiums for homeowners and businesses. Improved ratings also work to attract economic development as fire-protection is a key consideration of new businesses considering locating in an area.

For more information, contact Battalion Chief Stuart Dalton of Chesterfield County Fire and EMS at (804) 717-6102.

Mazda Picks Chesterfield for New Operation

Mazda Motor Corporation is planning to open an engine and transmission remanufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. The facility will also include a dealer training center and information call center.

Mazda will lease 133,000 square feet of space from Weingarten Realty in Enterchange @ Walthall, Building A. The building is located at the Interstate 95 Walthall interchange on Ruffin Mill Road and is in the Walthall Enterprise Zone.

“Mazda is thrilled with its new location in Chesterfield County, which will enable us to effectively serve our desired distribution area,” said Mazda’s Manager of Facilities and Administration, Rumi Walsh. “With the assistance of Chesterfield Economic Development, we were able to quickly assess potential locations for our new facility and select the ideal location to best meet our needs.”

Mazda will invest approximately $1.6 million on building improvements, equipment and initially hire 20 employees.

“We are pleased to welcome Mazda Motor Corporation as another member of the County’s Japanese and International manufacturing community. We are particularly happy to have such a prominent company in the international automotive manufacturing industry.” said Art Warren, Chairman, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.

In addition to Chesterfield Economic Development; Mazda was assisted in the site selection process by the Staubach Company, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the Greater Richmond Partnership.

2008 First Choice Business Awards – Call for Nominations

Each year Chesterfield County honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to businesses that consistently contribute to the community by giving back to the citizens of Chesterfield through community service, create and deliver products or services to its customers which are innovative, is a leader in valuing its employees, and upholds the principles and standards of ethical business practices. Past winners have included Getloaded.com, Village Bank and BluePrint Automation Inc.

On behalf of Chesterfield County, the Department of Economic Development, the Chesterfield County Chamber of Commerce, and the Chesterfield Business Council of the Greater Richmond Chamber are inviting nominations for the 2008 First Choice Business Awards. Companies may nominate themselves and/or be nominated by any individual or group within the community. All nominated companies will receive a formal application form to be completed by the nominee.

Winners will be chosen by a selection panel, which will consist of business leaders and county staff selected for their business and community knowledge. The selection panel will then interview businesses that meet the general eligibility criteria before final winners are chosen.

The winners will be recognized at Chesterfield County’s Celebrate Chesterfield Business! event. The Board of Supervisors will also recognize this year’s First Choice Business Awards winners at their June meeting. Celebrate Chesterfield Business! is the county’s annual business appreciation event held each May during the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Annual Business Appreciation Week – May 11th through May 17th. The keynote speaker and location will be announced at a later date.

Nomination forms are available online and may be submitted online at www.chesterfieldbusiness.com/award/ or by fax at 804-796-3638, or mail to 9401 Courthouse Road, Suite B., Chesterfield, VA 23832

QuickStart Your Career

Seven-week program at John Tyler Community College offers pathways to new careers

Applications are now being accepted for John Tyler Community College’s QuickStart program. QuickStart, a free, seven-week program taught at the College’s Chester Campus, prepares motivated men and women for entry-level jobs with area companies in manufacturing, construction and the skilled trades.

The part-time program is designed with working individuals in mind. Classes are held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. In addition, trainees are required to go on three plant tours at QuickStart partner work sites. Tours are generally held Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. During the program, students will learn about applied technology, safe practices in the workplace, and industry practices as they work toward earning an OSHA 10-Hour Industry Certification, a Commonwealth of Virginia Career Readiness Certificate (Silver Level), four college credits, and an Award of Completion as an entry-level manufacturing technician from John Tyler Community College. At the end of the program, QuickStart graduates will participate in a job fair featuring a wide-variety of well-paying, full-time positions with benefits and advancement opportunity.

The next QuickStart class begins on March 31, 2008. Those interested in being considered for the program must submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. on February 15, 2008. Applications and information about the admissions process may be found online at www.jtcc.edu/quickstart. Questions may also be directed to QuickStart Project Manager Jackie Anderson at 804-706-9800 or quickstart@jtcc.edu.

QuickStart is an initiative of John Tyler Community College, guided and supported by the John Tyler Community College Manufacturers’ Coalition, whose purpose is to unite local manufacturing, construction and skilled trades’ employers to address important industry issues.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College also has an outreach enrollment center located in Petersburg at 218 N. Sycamore Street. Each year, the College serves more than 10,000 students and offers 13 associate degrees, seven certificates and 29 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 14,000 non-credit students and more than 500 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

GlaxoSmithKline Moves into Chesterfield

GlaxoSmithKline, an international pharmaceutical firm, will lease over 262,000 square feet in the southern area of I-95 in Chesterfield County. They will have a significant investment in tenant up-fit. Chesterfield County Economic Development assisted in the site selection.

2007 Investment Announcements


























































































































































Date Company New or Expansion Investment (millions) # New Employees Square Footage
3/07 Boulevard Flowers New $2.000 9 33,396
4/07 C & F Financial Corp New $1.300 8 12,000
5/07 Colonial Hyundai New $3.500 6 17,700
6/07 HCA-PAS Expansion $1.000 140 12,000
7/07 Knight Transportation New $1.250 22 3,000
7/07 Richmond Steel New $2.000 30 36,000
7/07 More Xtreme Allstars/Cheer Challenge Expansion $0.239 6 8,408
8/07 Honeywell Expansion $2.500 0 6,000
9/07 CCA Wesco New $0.600 50 24,000
9/07 Priority Collision Center Expansion $6.000 35 35,000
10/07 Village Bank Headquarters New $14.000 20 79,000
10/07 Jim’s Formal Wear New $4.500 40 42,000
11/07 Virginia Air Distributors Expansion $5.500 41 66,000
11/07 Mitsubishi Advanced Polymers Expansion $1.000 0 0
11/07 Fiorucci Foods Expansion $3.900 25 6,000
12/07 Franklin Street Marketing Expansion $3.100 4 7,300
12/07 MTI Global New * * 35,500
12/07 Eastern Aluminum Supply New $2.000 10 20,000
12/07 Kids R Kids Learning Center New * 45 17,000
2007 TOTALS $54.389 516 460,304
* Confidential – not included in total

Eastern Aluminum Supply Locates in Chesterfield

Eastern Aluminum Supply will be locating to the Chesterfield County Industrial Airpark. The company is building a new 20,000 square foot office/warehouse facility and investing approximately $2 million and will be employing ten people.

Eastern Aluminum Supply is a supplier of a wide variety of building products to professional builders throughout the east coast; their products include siding, doors, windows, and canopies.

Franklin Street Marketing Moves

Franklin Street Marketing, one of the nation’s premier healthcare communication firms, has announced the opening of its new office building. The 7,300 square foot building features a 20-foot clerestory that allows for natural light to wash the interior. Designed with a natural, earth-tone color palette the building has more of a residential feel rather than the usual commercial feel of an office building. The contemporary design of the building includes curved walls and tall ceilings, a wood burning fireplace, and a full café area with an attached patio. Designed by Baskervill, the building is located in Moorefield Park at 9700 Farrar Court.

Since 1986, Franklin Street Marketing has been Building Healthy BrandsSM by providing brand consultation, strategic planning, research, advertising, and public relations services to the health and wellness community. By not striving to become the largest healthcare communications firm, but rather the best, Franklin Street has been able to provide all of its clients outstanding customer service and creative work.

“With clients spanning from the East to West Coast, we had outgrown our old space and were in need of a larger area,” says President and Founder William Flynn. “We’re honored to have such a distinguished roster of healthcare clients and we now have adequate space to better serve them. Additionally, with our focus on the healthcare industry we wanted the building to be designed as naturally as possible.”

Kids ‘R’ Kids Breaks Ground on New Center

The Kids ‘R’ Kids School of Quality Learning, held their groundbreaking celebration on December 20, 2007 for their state-of-the-art, 17,000 square foot facility located at 6761 Temie Lee Parkway, Midlothian.

While the new facility will offer numerous amenities, local owners, Chris and Deborah Tipold, believe their philosophies and values are what will distinguish the center. “We take our philosophy of children being “hugged first, then taught” very seriously as it will be the guiding principle to our success. We envision that our school will be well respected for our high educational standards and strong core values and be recognized as a “difference maker” in the community”, says Deborah Tipold, a nurse and mother of two boys, Austin and Hunter. “We possess a strong passion for the welfare of children and recognize that in our position, “We Hold the Future”. We have a strong curriculum program that supports the high standards of early childhood education. Most importantly, we will offer a loving, happy, and friendly environment, which is a critical key to a child’s growth.”

Kids ‘R’ Kids is scheduled to open during the summer of 2008. Kids ‘R’ Kids looks forward to becoming a partner in Chesterfield County and the Midlothian Community.

For more information contact Kids ‘R’ Kids at 920-KIDS (5437), visit their website kidsrkidsmidlothian.com or email to info@kidsrkidsmidlothian.com.

Groundbreaking at Kids 'R' Kids.

Virginia Air Distributors, Inc. Expands

Virginia Air Distributors, a wholesale distributor of HVAC equipment, will be expanding and moving to the Waterford Business Center on Waterford Lake Drive in Chesterfield County. Waterford Business Center is located at Charter Colony Parkway and the Powhite Parkway, just off of Route 288.

Virginia Air Distributors purchased five acres to build a 66,000 square foot office and warehouse facility. The company plans to invest approximately $5.5 million in the new location and will create 10 new jobs within the first year of operation. They currently have 31 employees.

Mr. Ken Baker, President, started the company in 1987. They have 15 branches located in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and South Carolina. The Chesterfield County location will serve the Greater Richmond area.

Thalhimer is listing the new business center. Chesterfield County Economic Development assisted the company with their expansion plans.