Oransi launches U.S.-made air purifiers from Radford
By the end of 2023, portable air purifier maker Oransi hopes to have products on the market designed and manufactured in its new Radford facility. It’s the second attempt by CEO Peter Mann to build an American-made HEPA (high energy particulate air) air purifier since founding Oransi in 2009. After initially selling China-made air purifiers, […]
Virginia MetalFab to invest $9M, expand in Appomattox
Virginia MetalFab, a provider of metal manufacturing and fabrication services, will invest $9 million to expand to a larger facility in Appomattox, with plans to create 130 jobs during the next three years, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. The company will lease the former Thomasville Furniture plant, occupying 250,000 square feet to meet increased demand […]
Fed’s Fifth District economy expands slightly
The economy in the Federal Reserve’s Fifth District (a multistate region including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland) has expanded slightly since October, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. Published eight times per year, the Beige Book is based on anecdotal information about economic conditions g[...]
Center aims to grow manufacturing
In 2015, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville was attracting manufacturers at a faster pace than it could handle. The IALR was providing work-ready incubation space where companies could launch their businesses while waiting to build, upgrade or occupy facilities while also helping build a pipeline of workers with the advanced manufacturing […]
Smithfield Foods names new CFO
Mark Hall, Smithfield Foods Inc.’s executive vice president of finance, has been promoted to chief financial officer and will start in the role on Jan. 1, 2023, the nation’s largest pork product manufacturer and hog producer announced Tuesday. The company’s current CFO since 2015, Glen Nunziata, will leave Smithfield Foods at the end of this […]
NJ resin/vinyl manufacturer to invest $13.5M in Tazewell
New Jersey-based custom resin and vinyl manufacturer Ronald Mark Associates Inc. will invest $13.5 million to establish a manufacturing operation in Tazewell County, a project expected to create 29 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday. The company will occupy the former Komatsu Mining Corp. facility at 1081 Hockman Pike in Bluefield. “Ronald Mark Associates’ decision […]
FyberX to invest $17.5M in Mecklenburg HQ
FyberX Holdings, a regenerative agriculture company, will invest $17.5 million to establish its U.S. headquarters and production operations in Mecklenburg County, creating 45 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The company will be located in the formerly vacant Kinderton Distribution Center in Clarksville, where it will process hemp and other agricultural products and produce fibers [&h[...]
Everything is not awesome
When Lego Group representatives toured Chesterfield County’s Meadowville Technology Park on a winter day early this year, they didn’t speak. As with most industrial site visits, the county economic development authority staffers conducting the tour didn’t yet know which company they were working with, although they’d answered a site consultant’s request for proposal. [...]
Altria strikes $150M deal with Japan Tobacco
Altria Group Inc., the Henrico County-based tobacco giant, announced Thursday it is partnering with Japan Tobacco Group to sell heated tobacco products in the U.S. and worldwide, placing Altria in direct competition with Juul Labs Inc. and Philip Morris International Inc. The $150 million deal, in which Altria subsidiary Philip Morris USA has a 75% […]
Stihl names finance VP
Virginia Beach-based chainsaw and outdoor power equipment manufacturer Stihl Inc. has named Uwe Hirsch its vice president of finance, effective Nov. 7. Hirsch will plan, direct and control the company’s financial plans and will support IT operations and system implementations. He was most recently global vice president of finance, controlling and purchasing in the automotive […]
Fifth District economy little changed since August, Fed says
The economy in the Federal Reserve’s Fifth District (a multistate region including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland) has been largely unchanged since August, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. Published eight times per year, the Beige Book is based on anecdotal information about economic […[...]
Fortis Solutions Group hires chief commercial officer
Virginia Beach-based packaging manufacturer Fortis Solutions Group LLC has named Steve Powers its chief commercial officer, the company announced Monday. Powers joins Fortis from HP Inc. and has been in the printing industry for 30 years, working on the manufacturing and supplier sides of the business. Most recently, he served as HP’s sales director for […]