Glass manufacturing operation to create 659 jobs in Prince George

PGT Innovations, a Florida-based manufacturer and supplier of windows and doors, will invest $54.3 million to establish a glass manufacturing operation in the former Rolls-Royce facility in Prince George County’s Crosspointe Logistics Center, creating 659 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday.

Virginia competed with Arizona for the project. The plant will manufacture glass under the company’s Triple Diamond Glass, a wholly owned subsidiary.

“Today’s announcement is a gamechanger that will put more than 650 Virginians back to work, return the shuttered Rolls-Royce facility to productive use, and expand PGT Innovations’ footprint and brand into Virginia,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Manufacturing is on the rebound, and the commonwealth is leading the way. We look forward to supporting the future success of PGT Innovations in Prince George County.”

The company’s portfolio includes products that can withstand strong storms. Through its brands, PGT Innovations is the nation’s largest manufacturer of impact-resistant windows and doors, Youngkin’s office said in a news release.

Rolls-Royce announced in May 2011 that it was investing $170 million to open its first Virginia facility in the Crosspointe park to manufacture discs for aircraft engines, and was expected to generate about 500 jobs over time. In 2020, the company announced that it would close the plant by the middle of 2021, eliminating 280 jobs, The Progress-Index reported.

“The creation of Triple Diamond Glass represents a major step forward in our company’s journey,” Jeff Jackson, PGT Innovations president and CEO, said in a statement. “Prince George, Virginia offered an ideal blend of proximity to customers, robust infrastructure, and skilled workforce to support this operation and bringing its cutting-edge products to the window and door industry. We greatly appreciate the efforts put forth by the state of Virginia and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and we are looking forward to contributing to job growth and the economic success of the region.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Prince George County and Virginia’s Gateway Region to secure the project for Virginia. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new, full-time jobs created, as well as benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

Support for PGT Innovations’ new jobs will come from the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce initiative created by VEDP in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System and other higher education partners, with support from the governor’s administration and the Virginia General Assembly. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation.

Real estate firm CBRE represented PGT Innovations in its search for a new facility location and in its transaction at Crosspointe, CBRE spokesperson Ashley Houk told Virginia Business in an email.