Over the past five years, the Emporia-Greensville region has gained the attention of national companies for its small-town charm and big business opportunities. The results: an impressive five-year run of development successes. Year after year, the Emporia-Greensville Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has worked in partnership with area businesses and the communities of the City of Emporia, Greensville County and the Town of Jarratt. The region can collectively take great pride in announcing the following real estate accomplishments.

Recent announcements include:

In just the past 30 months, 11 manufacturing / distribution facilities have located in the area.

Oran Safety Glass, a manufacturer of bullet-proof glass used in military vehicles which last year originally invested $4.1 million and created over 100 new highly- paid jobs. In its first year of operation, Oran surpassed its investment goal and its employment goal. In April of 2008, Oran announced an expansion of this facility, investing an additional $2.5 million and creating 25 more jobs.

Quality Culvert, a division of privately-owned County Materials has invested $6.8 million to construct and equip a 70,000 SF manufacturing plant and will create 50 new jobs.

Fed-Ex Ground, developed a new 18,000 SF distribution hub on 5 acres in the Greensville County Industrial Park – doubling local employment and creating 7 to 10 new jobs.

Bell Nursery located a wholesale commercial nursery distribution center in an existing 40,000 SF warehouse facility creating approximately 40 seasonal jobs in Emporia Industrial Park

International Fiberglass invested $2.15 million to purchase and equip an existing 40,000 SF facility on 10 acres in the Emporia Industrial Park. The manufacturer of fiberglass swimming pools for Aloha Fiberglass Pools will distribute and manufacture fiberglass pools and create 28 jobs.

BPR Plastics relocated its recycling warehouse operations from Richmond to Greensville County in an existing 50,000 SF facility on 8 acres fronting on US 301, near I-95 at Exit 8. BPR invested $250,000 and created 7 jobs.

Georgia-Pacific plans to make a large investment in its Emporia operation of $2.75 million over the next three years for new equipment, technology and upgrades to existing equipment. The City of Emporia was successful in obtaining a grant in the amount of $125,000 from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission to be used for improving Georgia-Pacific’s Emporia, Va., plywood mill and training for its workforce.

FASTA, Inc., a manufacturer of energy efficient green building components, plans to invest $7.9 million to locate a manufacturing facility for insulated steel and foam construction panels for use in residential and commercial building applications in Greensville County. The project will create 150 jobs over the next three years. FASTA, Inc. purchased 32 acres in the Greensville County Industrial Park and plans to construct and equip a new 80,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The project includes administrative offices and development of an “eco village” to showcase FASTA’s environmentally friendly residential models.

Steel-Fab of Virginia, Inc. completed a project to expand its production facility in the City of Emporia. The company invested more than $3.4 million for additional land, production space and equipment planned and created 16 new jobs, retaining 59 existing jobs. The City of Emporia and Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project.

Aquava purchased the former Cattail Creek Campground and water bottling facility and has plans to re-invigorate the water bottling operations in Greensville County.

Additionally, Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center has continued to make investments to improve facilities and upgrade equipment.

On the retail front...

A new 94,000 SF Lowe’s Home Improvement Center opened in December, 2008 creating 60 new jobs.

Wal-Mart just completed a $1.3 million upgrade to its Emporia store on Market Drive at US 58.

CVS has completed construction of a new drive-thru store at 304 W. Atlantic Street as part of a refurbishment and partial re-build of the former Winn Dixie Center.

Huddle House opened in February of 2009 at Exit 8 off I-95. Five Guys opened near Exit 11 and Carolina Bar-B-Que & Chicken opened on the West Atlantic Street.

Dollar General completed construction of a new retail store at 622 S. Main Street.

Paws-R-Us - A new pet supply store and kennel has opened for business on N. Main Street.

Independent retailers including The Whimzy Tree, Paws-R-Us, White Shoes, and Southern Accents Antiques – have opened new retail businesses on Main Street and Halifax Street.

Cracker Barrel Again Named “Best Family Dining Chain In America,” Opens In Emporia
Cracker Barrel opens one of their signature restaurant and country store facilities in fall 2004 on a 2.36-acre site purchased from Missi Sadler Enterprises in Emporia’s Market Drive Commerce Park off the I-95/U.S. 58 interchange. After 35 years in the business, Cracker Barrel has been named “Best Family Dining Chain in America” for the past 14 years by Restaurants and Institutions magazine and “Chain of the Year” in 2003 by Restaurant Hospitality magazine. With over 500 locations throughout the country, this new site in Emporia marks the 19th location in Virginia.

Cracker Barrel initially employs approximately 160 and employment is expected to stabilize at 135 permanent jobs that are eligible for great benefits, including a retirement plan and health insurance. This number of employment opportunities is good news for Emporia and Greensville County following the closing of the Perdue plant. Cracker Barrel initially invests $2.7 million dollars in the City for land, building, furnishings and equipment. The facility projects to generate approximately $229,000 annually in additional revenues to the City in the form of taxes.

Two Nationally Recognized Hotel Chains Expand, Bringing Area Hotel Rooms To 1,000 Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express both cite Emporia-Greensville’s strategic location off I-95 and U.S. 58 and the ability to target East Coast travelers as their reasons for choosing this area to locate new developments. In addition to bringing the number of area hotel rooms to 1,000 to support the growing region, both hotels offer an indoor pool, fitness facilities, a business center and conference facilities. Construction begins on a five-story, $5 million Hampton Inn, bringing 85 hotel rooms and approximately 25 new jobs to the region. Also, Holiday Inn Express opens a $3.5 million, 80-room hotel, creating 25 new jobs in the area.

NYSE-Traded Developer Of Luxury Homes Expands Subsidiary In Greensville And Emporia
Toll Integrated Systems, Inc. is a division of Toll Brothers, Inc., the nation’s largest publicly traded developer of luxury homes. Toll develops a new 86,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility in the Greensville County Industrial Park. The facility is serviced by CSX Transportation. The new facility handles products manufactured at the company’s existing manufacturing center in Emporia. This expansion enables Toll to double its production in the Emporia-Greensville area. Toll also upgrades its manufacturing facilities in the City and invests in new manufacturing equipment to expand production.

The expansion represents a total investment of more than $5 million in the County and City over the next 30 months, including business personal property, machinery, equipment and improvements to real estate. The company projects the expansion will likely result in more than 100 new jobs in Emporia and Greensville County.

Region Attracts One Of Forbes’ 500 Largest Private Companies Emporia-Greensville welcomes Love’s Travel Stop on Interstate 95 in Greensville County. Love’s operates more than 80 travel stops and 70 convenience stores from California to Virginia. Established in 1964, Love’s has quickly grown and was named one of Forbes Magazine’s 500 Largest Private Companies for the third consecutive year in 2003. With fueling facilities for trucks, cars and RVs, a convenience store, a McDonald’s, shower rooms, laundry facilities, game rooms and a mail drop, the new $3 million Love’s location brings up to 25 new jobs to the region.

New Truck Dealership Opens Redwine International finishes construction on its new International Truck dealership facility in Greensville County, ideally located on U.S. 301 near I-95. The new dealership represents over $900,000 in new investments and creates approximately six new jobs. Growing Aquatic Nursery Finds Expansion Opportunities After looking at sites in Maryland and Pennsylvania, Chesapeake Aquatic Nursery relocates its operation from Baltimore, Maryland, to a 30-acre site in Greensville County. Operating as Meherrin River Farms, Inc., this nursery produces aquatic plants for use in ornamental gardens, native plant gardens, wetland projects and natural habitat restoration. Three greenhouses totaling 15,000 square feet and a 2,000-square-foot warehouse for offices, storage, and packing and shipping are currently under construction. The company initially employs a total of six to 10 employees, and projected growth could increase employment to approximately 25. IDC Helps Jarratt Land Department Of Corrections Agribusiness Warehouse The IDC assists the Town of Jarratt in securing approval from the Virginia General Assembly and Governor Warner to locate a 13,000-square-foot refrigerated warehouse in the former Nearby Eggs building, situated on a 5.7-acre site. The Department of Corrections (DOC) uses the facility as an agribusiness warehouse to distribute produce and frozen foods throughout the DOC’s system. The DOC enters into a lease purchase with the Town for financing, acquisition, renovation and upfit of the $800,000 facility. Local Peanut Company Expands To meet demand Virginia grows the largest variety of peanuts in the world, and the Good Earth Peanut Company is just one of the quickly growing peanut corporations located in the Commonwealth. Taking advantage of the region’s superb growing conditions, Good Earth is expanding to keep up with demand for their delicious peanut products. The company begins construction on a new 3,000-square-foot warehouse and expands their existing processing facility in Greensville County, investing $180,000 and bringing up to 10 new jobs to the area. Franklin Braid Expands Facilities To Take On More Projects, Adding More Jobs Franklin Braid Manufacturing Company expands its existing manufacturing operations in Emporia, investing over $1.5 million for additional equipment, improvements to the space and expansion of the building. Franklin Braid currently manufactures braided and knitted narrow fabrics, cordage and trims used on other manufacturers’ product lines. Once the expansion is completed, Franklin Braid will also manufacture knit elastic to be used on garments, furniture, facemasks and other items.The expansion adds approximately 25 new jobs over the next 30 months to the existing 130 workers employed during peak production times.