Medical manufacturer bringing 40 jobs to city of Franklin

A New York-based manufacturer of medical products is coming to the city of Franklin’s Pretlow Industrial Park, bringing 40 jobs and $10.5 million in investment, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday.

GMAX Industries Inc., which produces disposable medical products for health care providers and components for other medical manufacturers, will create a manufacturing and distribution site in Franklin’s former Money Mailer building, which has been empty since 2013. The city competed with North Carolina for the project.

“We are proud that GMAX Industries has chosen to locate in Franklin, where the company will benefit from our world-class transportation network and logistics hub,” Northam said in a statement. “We appreciate the company’s commitment to job creation and investment in rural Virginia, and we stand ready to support GMAX as it ramps up business in the commonwealth.”

The city will receive a $70,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to support the project, and funding and services for the company’s job creation will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the city of Franklin, the Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc., and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance to secure the project.