Big deals: Pharma, manufacturing make splash in Virginia

Anticipated to create at least 100 jobs apiece, these economic development announcements were some of the largest in Virginia in the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026.

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Albemarle County: In October 2025, U.K. pharma-ceutical giant AstraZeneca announced plans for a $4.5 billion manufacturing campus with two facilities at the county’s Rivanna Futures site. Expected to create 600 jobs, the project is part of AstraZeneca’s overall investment of $50 billion in the United States.

Goochland County: In September 2025, drug-maker Eli Lilly & Co. announced plans for a $5 billion facility in Goochland’s West Creek set to open in 2030. At the time, the company said it expected to create 650 jobs. As of July, Eli Lilly had not yet purchased the 227 acres assessed at $25.1 million.

Prince George County: Electronic circuit board manufacturer Jabil plans to open a plant at Crosspointe Logistics Center this fall, the company announced in May. Expected to create 352 jobs, the new facility will produce critical power distribution systems for Siemens, a $30 million investment.

Orange County: Florida defense contractor L3Harris Technologies announced in April plans to expand its rocket motor production operations in Orange with a $1.27 billion investment, doubling its presence and creating more than 350 jobs over five years.

EASTERN VIRGINIA

Chesapeake: In December 2025, LS Cable & System said it was more than doubling its capital investment in Chesapeake, adding a $689 million copper and advanced materials manufacturing campus expected to create 430 jobs. That’s in addition to the LS GreenLink USA advanced cable manufacturing facility under construction nearby, a $681 million project set to create 330 jobs.

James City County: An Irish data center infrastructure manufacturer opened its first U.S. plant in November 2025, a $5.225 million investment expected to create 250 jobs in the first year and up to 500 jobs by 2030. CEL Critical Power’s facility is set to produce power systems for data centers across the country.

LYNCHBURG/ROANOKE/ NEW RIVER VALLEY

Roanoke: An Austrian skincare and nutritional products company, Ringana plans to invest $85 million over the next five years in its first U.S. headquarters in Roanoke, it announced in June. The company expects to create 435 jobs at the site in Blue Ridge Commerce Park, although the company didn’t give a specific timeline for operations to start.

Roanoke County: Texas defense contractor Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of Israeli global military tech company Elbit Systems, announced in November 2025 it will invest $30 million to expand its Roanoke County night-vision goggles plant, creating an expected 288 jobs.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Alexandria and Fairfax County: In September 2025, government contractor Systems Planning & Analysis announced it plans to invest $46.9 million to expand its Alexandria headquarters and increase its presence in Fairfax County. The company said it expects to create more than 1,200 jobs in the two localities by 2030.

Arlington County: IT company Spatial Front announced in June it will relocate its corporate headquarters from Bethesda, Maryland, to Crystal City, creating an expected 450 jobs. Spatial Front, which employs 600 people, specializes in geospatial technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud services and other operations for U.S. federal agencies.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Augusta County: In May, Innovative Refrigeration Systems announced it would invest $19 million to expand its Augusta County manufacturing campus, which will support recent pharmaceutical investment in the state. The company, which provides advanced industrial refrigeration and other temperature-controlled infrastructure, expects to create 214 jobs at its campus in Lyndhurst.

Rockingham County: In October 2025, Merck joined fellow pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca in investing in Virginia. The company said it plans to expand its presence in Rockingham by building a $3 billion manufacturing plant for small molecule pharma products, creating an estimated 500 jobs.

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA

Pittsylvania County: Avio USA, the Arlington County subsidiary of Italian rocket company Avio SpA, announced in February it expects to build a
$500 million, 860,000-square-foot plant at Pittsylvania County’s Southern Virginia Multimodal Park. The project is expected to create 1,546 jobs, according to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Workers will produce solid rocket motors for the commercial space sector and
missile systems.

Halifax County: Hitachi Energy, a longtime presence in South Boston, announced in September 2025 a plan to invest $457 million to produce large power transformers, creating an expected 825 jobs. In 2024 and 2025, Hitachi announced expansions in South Boston and Bland and Smyth counties.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

Scott County: Roanoke County-based VFP announced in October 2025 plans to expand its Scott County facility, investing $35 million and creating an expected 200 jobs. The company builds power utility infrastructure and generator shelters for data centers, after formerly working for Verizon.