Virginia Touts Robust Economic Growth in Richmond Region
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Virginia state and local officials in Henrico County witnessed a series of major grand openings with an Amazon robotics fulfillment center, a Coca-Cola Consolidated enlarged distribution facility and at two other companies.
The county, which surrounds a large part of Richmond, has been bustling with economic growth, especially since Henrico and Virginia officials can offer a range of financial incentives to qualifying existing businesses and new companies through performance-based grants, tax credits and funding for employee training/recruitment.
Anthony Romanello, Henrico Economic Development Authority executive director, attributed the county’s successful business ventures to its supply chain infrastructure and governmental support.
“When businesses want to keep their merchandise moving, they come to Henrico. And it’s not just because of our strategic location in the middle of the Eastern Seaboard or that this is where [Interstate] 64 and I-95 converge, making road freight shipping extraordinarily seamless,” he told Transport Topics. “It’s not because Richmond International Airport is one of the busiest air cargo facilities in the nation, setting cargo volume records to the tune of 206.6 million pounds just last year.
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“And it’s not even because of our access to the Port of Virginia, which is slated to have the deepest, widest channels on the East Coast by 2025. Companies come to Henrico because we go the extra mile to help businesses thrive.”
In March, strategic location ventures in four companies got underway that will together create more than 1,100 jobs in the greater Richmond region.
Amazon held a grand opening of its 2.7 million-square-foot robotics fulfillment center, now the largest building in central Virginia. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Henrico EDA, the Port of Virginia and the Greater Richmond Partnership to secure the project.
Amazon’s cutting-edge fulfillment centers generate major capital investment, thousands of jobs and strengthen Virginia’s position as a logistics industry leader.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Gov. Glenn Youngkin said March 24, “Amazon’s cutting-edge fulfillment centers generate major capital investment, thousands of jobs and strengthen Virginia’s position as a logistics industry leader on the East Coast. We welcome their continued partnership as we work to continue making Virginia the best state to grow your business.”
Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $109 billion in Virginia (including infrastructure and employee wages) and created 39,000 full- and part-time jobs.
Amazon ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest logistics companies in North America and on the TT global freight list.
“We are thrilled to continue investing in the commonwealth of Virginia, where we have already created 39,000 jobs including more than 1,000 right here in Henrico County” said Holly Sullivan, Amazon vice president of Economic Development Policy.
Coca-Cola Consolidated's 210,000-square-foot warehouse is in Sandston, Va., near Richmond International Airport. (Henrico Economic Development Authority)
The governor also was on hand the next day with Henrico officials and Coca-Cola Consolidated executives to unveil a completed $50 million expansion project with a 210,000-square-foot warehouse at its 63-acre facility in Sandston, near Interstate 64 and the Richmond International Airport.
Operating in Sandston for more than eight years, the company noted that the site has 450 employees who work in manufacturing, warehouse, distribution, equipment services, the red classic truck fleet and transportation.
“This investment is part of the Coca-Cola Co.’s $869 million economic impact on Virginia through its network of suppliers, distributors and retailers. We are pleased to contribute to this number,” the company stated.
Ropeblock's new Henrico facility will serve as a hub to store its products destined for crane manufacturing companies. (Henrico Economic Development Authority)
Another significant win for Henrico in March was the grand opening of a Dutch global crane component manufacturer’s first U.S. storage facility. Ropeblock will use its 12,000-square-foot-facility in Henrico as a hub to store its products destined for crane manufacturing companies across the nation.
“We are pleased to announce the official opening of our new office and warehouse facility located in Henrico County, part of Metropolitan Richmond, Va.,” said Ron Kammeijer, Ropeblock commercial manager.
Daniel Schmitt, Brookland District supervisor in Henrico County, welcomed the company, which was founded in 1994 in the Netherlands.
“Locating their distribution operation in Henrico’s flourishing Westwood area with its prime interstate access will allow Ropeblock to quickly receive and ship products to their U.S. customers,” Schmitt said.
Tucker Door & Trim is investing $10 million on is new manufacturing and assembly operation. (Henrico Economic Development Authority)
Celebrating another event was Tucker Door & Trim’s ribbon-cutting for its first manufacturing and assembly operation in Virginia. The company, headquartered in Georgia, distributes and manufactures doors, windows and specialty millwork for the construction industry. It is spending $10 million on a new manufacturing and assembly operation for fiberboard and fiberglass doors and windows in Henrico County to increase capacity and provide greater access for its products to the Northeastern market.
“Our mission to become the premier choice for windows and doors and our growth plans made Virginia an ideal location for us,” company President Phil Odom said. “This new location will offer us an unrivaled opportunity to serve new customers, grow and develop our team, and actively participate in our communities.”
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Tucker Door & Trim boasts a growing fleet of tractor-trailers making rlar deliveries to wholesale customers throughout the Southeast.
“We are thrilled that all four companies chose to grow in Henrico, and we could assist them in getting up and operational at their ideal facilities virtually seamlessly,” Henrico EDA’s Romanello noted.
Jennifer Wakefield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, noted that the area’s “strategic location to 45% of the U.S. population within one day’s delivery drive proves enticing to myriad expanding firms. We’re excited to welcome Tucker Door & Trim to the region’s manufacturing industry that supports homebuilding.”
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