Carfax expanding operations in Fairfax, Loudoun

Carfax is growing in Northern Virginia.

The Centreville-based company announced in December a $15.8 million expansion that’s expected to create 120 jobs.

Carfax, which produces vehicle history reports, is investing $5 million to expand its Centreville headquarters in Fairfax County and $10.8 million to upgrade its  Loudoun County data center.

Carfax spokesman Larry Gamache says the company considered many locations for the expansion but Virginia stood out. Key factors in picking the commonwealth included its well-educated workforce and quality of life, he says.

The company has begun hiring for the new jobs. Many of the positions will be technology-related, but they also will include sales and marketing jobs. Since positions vary across the company, he could not provide an average salary but added that “Carfax has a reputation for being an excellent employer, and our compensation package is very competitive.”

He noted that Carfax has been named to best workplaces lists by Virginia Business, Washingtonian and the company rating website Glassdoor.com.

Headquarters upgrades include adding an indoor park and new technology while creating a new traffic flow to spark more connectivity among departments, Gamache says. The expansion will add 25,000 square feet to Carfax’s Centreville offices, bringing its total space to 100,000 square feet.

The data center improvement mostly will be technology-focused, including expanding processing speed and data storage capabilities. Carfax keeps a database of 15 billion vehicle history records and handles more than 2.7 million daily requests for information. The company has five data centers, including two in Centreville and Loudoun. The Loudoun data center is its largest.

Gerald L. Gordon, CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, says Carfax is helping diversify the county’s economy.

“This is not the typical type of company for which Fairfax County is known,” he says in a blog entry posted after the announcement. “After all, Carfax is not related in any way to federal employment or procurement. But, the company will take advantage of the same skill sets that have made federal contractors and others so successful in Fairfax County for so many years.”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe approved a $150,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund for the project. The Virginia Jobs Investment Program is providing funding and services for Carfax’s employee training.