BGF INDUSTRIES, INC. TO RELOCATE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND R&D FACILITY TO DANVILLE-PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY
Project Will Create 65 New Jobs in Danville-Pittsylvania County
Richmond, VA – Governor Ralph Northam announced today that BGF Industries, Inc. will relocate their corporate headquarters and research and development facility to the Danville-Pittsylvania Cyber Park. The project will create 65 new jobs and $7 million in capital investment. BGF will construct a 25,000 square foot facility at the site. The Tobacco Commission is supporting this project with a $620,000 Tobacco Region Opportunity Fund (TROF) grant and an additional $620,000 TROF loan. Additionally, the Commission has supported the development of the Cyber Park in the past.
Secretary of Commerce and Trade and Tobacco Commission member Brian Ball said, “BGF Industries’ important project is a major win for Danville-Pittsylvania County and the Commonwealth, bringing a new corporate headquarters to Virginia as well as research and development components. From its new operation in the Cyber Park, the company will benefit from strategic partnerships with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research and the local community college system to provide robust training solutions that provide a unique pipeline for talent. We are proud to have a corporate citizen like BGF Industries in the Commonwealth, and look forward to seeing the company grow in Southern Virginia.”
Tobacco Commission member, Senator Bill Stanley added, “To have a company like BGF Industries move their corporate headquarters to Southside Virginia shows that we have the business climate, workforce and assets to compete for jobs at a high level. It’s always a good day when you can announce new jobs are coming to our region and I thank BGF for choosing Southside Virginia as their new corporate home.”
Tobacco Commission member, Delegate Danny Marshall said, “Our ability to attract innovative manufacturing operations, like BGF Industries, to Southern Virginia speaks volumes about the work that has been done to make our region an attractive option for companies looking to re-locate or expand. The Tobacco Commission has supported both this project and the development of the Cyber Park and 65 new jobs is a great result.”
BGF Industries is a US manufacturer of innovative technical fiber materials for global markets. Their products deliver high strength, high temperature, lightweight solutions that provide structural integrity, thermal, environmental and ballistic protection, or decorative appeal in countless everyday products from circuit boards to surf boards, from mufflers to snowmobiles, airplanes to armor and everything in between. BGF’s mission is to be the leading provider of technical fiber materials by delivering excellence in every product, every process, every time through customer-focused collaboration and by embracing a philosophy that inspires innovation.
CEO and Chairman of Porcher Industries Andre Genton said, “Porcher Industries has undergone an incredible transformation from a heritage of family-owned companies and regional organization to a truly global company that serves the needs of a global customer base. Locating in Virginia allows us to increase the technological support we are able to offer our customers worldwide. This most recent investment in the Danville and Pittsylvania Cyber Park will supply us with the R&D capacity and talented workforce to sustain this momentum and succeed in our efforts to design a tomorrow that exceeds the expectations of today.”
Chairman of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority Robert W. Warren added, “The announcement of BGF Industries locating their U.S. corporate headquarters and R&D center in Danville/Pittsylvania County represents a truly regional effort to create and foster a business-friendly environment that can meet the needs of world-class companies. This project enables BGF to locate its new facility in a growing aerospace and automotive hub, and gives its researchers the ability to directly interact and collaborate with research being conducted at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. On behalf of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, I thank BGF for working with County Staff over the past 18-months and for selecting Danville / Pittsylvania County for this truly cutting-edge operation.”
Mayor of the City of Danville Alonzo Jones said, “On behalf of the City of Danville, I want to thank BGF Industries for choosing to call Danville its home. It is always great when a company decides to grow in our region. It is even better when it is a company with a long history in Virginia and one as well-known and respected as BGF. We look forward to having a great relationship with BGF for a long time to come.”
The Tobacco Commission is committed to developing a diverse economy in the areas we serve. With investments in workforce training, site preparation, broadband expansion and more, the Commission has worked hard to attract high-tech manufacturers, like BGF, and other businesses that will bring jobs and investment to Southern and Southwest Virginia.
Contact: Jordan Butler
Telephone: 804-786-7692
Cell: 757-692-0878
Email: jbutler@revitalizeva.org
Website: www.revitalizeva.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/16/2018