aCorridor Headlines

1. Gates Corporation bringing 172 jobs to region
   North America's largest non-tire rubber manufacturer of automotive products to locate in Highlands Business Park.
2. American Wood Fibers to expand in Smyth County
   Company will invest $9 million and expand its Smyth County operations, adding 30 jobs, saving 30 existing jobs.
3. Construction under way in Progress Park
   Lane Enterprises breaks ground for new manufacturing facility in Progress Park in Wythe County.
4. Updates on two new aCorridor businesses
   Results call center opens in Galax. AmCor is up and running in Progress Park.
5. From My Perspective...
   An update from Executive Director Tom Elliott.
6. around the aCorridor...
   New child care center opens at Wytheville Community Center. Local firm receives training check from Dream It. Do It. campaign. aCorridor firms win technology awards.

Gates Corporation to create first Virginia facility in Highlands Park

Participating in the Gates Corporation announcement are, from left, Tom Elliott, aCorridor Executive Director; Sally Morgan, Smyth County Economic Development Director; Mike Cottrell, Vice President, North American Hydraulics, Gates Corporation; Patrick Gottschalk, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade; Christy Parker, Washington County Economic Development Director; and Preston Wilhelm II, Virginia Economic Development Partnership.(Photo by Mike Pierry Jr.)

Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced on May 31 that Gates Corporation, North America's largest non-tire rubber manufacturer of automotive and industrial products will invest $8 million and locate its first Virginia facility in a shell building in Highlands Business Park. The new operation is expected to create 172 new jobs.

Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick Gottschalk came to Highlands Business Park and made the announcement to state legislators, Gates representatives and offcials from Smyth and Washington counties who shared in the development of the new business park, located at Exit 29 of I-81. According to Gates officials, the company will be able to begin operations quickly because they are moving into an existing building. The Smyth-Washington Industrial Facilities Authority jointly developed and operate Highlands Business Park.

“We are excited to have the Gates Corporation choose our community to locate its newest manufacturing facility, and we look forward to the company being a long-term, stable employer for the region,” said Kenneth Reynolds, chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors and a member of the aCorridor Board of Directors.

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American Wood Fibers plans expansion at Smyth operation

Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced June 12 that American Wood Fibers (AWF), a leader in the field of specialty forestry products, will invest $9 million to expand its operations in Smyth County. The project will create 30 new jobs and save 30 existing jobs. He said Virginia successfully competed with Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio for the project.

"It is great news that American Wood Fibers will expand and further enhance its operations in the Commonwealth," said Governor Kaine. "This project adds to the success of the growing and impressive wood products industry cluster in Southwest Virginia."

Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, American Wood Fibers is committed to providing a positive contribution to the environment through total wood waste utilization and the development of environmentally friendly products. They are leaders in providing specialty forest products to their industrial, pet, agricultural, and energy customers.

"Smyth County is proud to be the home of this expanding wood products company and looks forward to its continued success," said Charlie Clark, chairman of the Smyth County Board of Supervisors. "The new jobs and investment will be an asset to our local economy."

Lane Enterprises, Inc.breaks ground  for Progress Park facility

Lane Enterprises, Inc., an employee-owned company with its headquarters in Camp Hill, Pa., broke ground May 14 on its 25-acre industrial site near the southern entrance of Progress Park in Wytheville. The new facility will produce and distribute high-density polyethylene (HPDE) plastic drainage pipe. 

Lane operates 10 plants in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, producing corrugated metal and plastic drainage pipe for the construction industry. The company operates a metal pipe facility in Dublin, Va.

"The addition of our new facility in Wytheville represents an important strategic growth opportunity for Lane. The proximity to major highways, rail service, and a strong community made Wytheville the perfect location for Lane's southern plastic pipe operations," said company President Patrick Collings.

"We are pleased to soon have Lane Enterprises as the newest manufacturing facility in Progress Park," said B. "Bucky" Sharitz, chairman of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors.

Two new aCorridor businesses open

Congressman Rick Boucher welcomed The Results Companies and XM Satellite Radio to the region April 27 during ribbon-cutting ceremonies for a new customer service center located in the Crossroads Institute in Galax that will employ 255; nearly 200 are already employed in the center that is occupying 10,000 square feet of previously unused second floor space at Crossroads. 

Operated by Results Companiess of Dania Beach, Fla., the Galax center will provide services to XM Satellite Radio. This center, according to Boucher, is the fourth Results center to locate in the Ninth District. "The Galax center brings the current number of positions created by Results in the Ninth District to 800, making the company a significant employer in our region," Boucher said.

A second new business in the region, Amcor PET Packagaing has begun operation and employs more than 100 at its new facility in Wytheville's Progress Park. Amcor, a leading manufacturer of PET packaging for the global beverage industry, announced the $105 million investment in the new plant in January 2006, broke ground in May 2006 and began operating in January 2007. The supplier of hot fillable plastic bottles to the beverage industry, including its aCorridor next door neighbor, Gatorade, plans to employ 144 at the modern facility.

Recent developments in Progress Park include the paving and opening of Kents Lane, which connects the park's southern entrance and Gator Lane, where Amcor and Gatorade are located. American Electric Power also has completed a 90 mw substation on the park's edge to accommodate the current and future electrical demands of tenants.

From my perspective...

Tom Elliott                        Executive Director

Once again, there are good things going on in the aCorridor. Let's do the numbers for the 2007 Year to Date Report Card:

 • 6 Expansions, 199 jobs, $42.30 Million investment.

 • 4 New Industries, 547 jobs, $12.6 Million investment.

 • A Total of 10 Announcements, 746 Jobs, $54.89 Million capital investment.

There were two projects announced in the Second Quarter that helped bring our year to date job creation very close to the total for all of 2006. I had the opportunity to be involved in the Gates project and it was a great team effort.

Congratulations to Christy Parker, Sally Morgan, and the Smyth-Washington Regional Industrial Facilities Authority on bringing Gates to the Highlands Shell Building. I also want to give a special thanks to Preston Wilhelm II from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Preston worked shoulder to shoulder with us for over seven months to make this project a success.

The American Wood Fibers expansion has been in the works for a long time. Congratulations to Sally Morgan and Smyth County for their efforts in securing the project.

We have several projects that are currently active. With a little luck and a lot of work, this could be one of the best years we've had in Virginia's aCorridor. Stay tuned!

around the aCorridor...

Wytheville Community College's Child Development Center opened in May inside the new Wytheville Community Center. A unique partnership between the new community center and the college, the Child Development Center provides day care services for the area and serves as a training facility for the community college's two-year associate degree in early childhood development. The center offers servicess for infants to children 12 years old, including pre-school, after school and summer programs, and is staffed by trained full-time personnel and students.

One aCorridor manufacturer and a training facility recently reaped the rewards of the Dream It. Do It. campaign. Kennametal, a producer of mining and agricultural equipment in Chilhowie, recently received a check to pay for strengthening its workforce through training. And the Washington County Skill Center also received payment through Dream It. Do It. for its machining and welding programs. The Smyth-Washington Regional Workforce Consortium, comprised of government officials, educators, service providers and industry leaders, is seeing results from its Dream It. Do It. campaign that provides funding for companies to train manufacturing employees. Bruce Kravitz, the consortium's director of workforce development, said more manufacturers in Smyth and Washington counties are learning about the training funding program, which includes more than $450,000 in reimbursement money available by providing quality training to people who want to work in manufacturing. Most of the training is offered at Virginia Highlands and Wytheville community colleges.

A Saltville-based company and others were recognized with awards at the Southwestern Virginia Technology Council's annual gala in Abingdon May 24. Curtis Frye, president of Engineered Products of Virginia, was the recipient of the first Technology Acceleration Program (TAP) award. Based in Saltville, Engineered Products develops and manufactures innovative electronic and electrical products for the electrical transformer, motor and electrical apparatus manufacturing industries. The TAP program was designed and implemented by the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology in conjunction with the Southwestern Virginia Technology Council. Frye and his company were the recipients of $100,000 in seed investment in a pilot program that reviewed 20 technology firms in Southwest Virginia and, after careful review, chose one firm most likely to see success and growth. TEDS, Inc. of Marion and Alpha Natural Resources of Abingdon received Excellence in Technology awards at the annual meeting.

aCorridor resident Tim R. Graham is named chairman of the State Board for Community Colleges. Graham, the director of the law firm Boucher, Hutton and Graham in Abingdon, took over as the chairman of the State Board for Community Colleges July 1. He was first appointed to the State Board by Gov. Mark Warner in March 2002 to fill an unexpired term and then appointed in July 2002 for a four-year term. Gov. Tim Kaine appointed him in July 2006 for a four-year term. Calling it an honor to be selected for the role by his peers, Graham said, "It's also an honor for the region."

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