Carolina Structural Systems is the latest of three manufacturing companies that recently announced expansion or relocation projects in Virginia. The manufacturer of custom wood trusses and other structural wood products will invest $5.5 million to establish a new manufacturing facility in Greensville County. Carolina Structural Systems will build a 40,000-square-foot facility in the Greensville County Industrial Park, creating 58 new jobs. The Star, NC-based company, which plans to purchase $395,000 in Virginia-grown forestry products, also considered North Carolina and South Carolina for the project.

“Carolina Structural Systems is proud to partner with the Commonwealth of Virginia and Greensville County,” said Carolina Structural Systems General Manager Dave Green. “This location is strategically located between the growth in the area north of Raleigh, while giving us access to the Richmond Market. Once we decided that our company’s growth was going to be in this region, the folks involved with this project made Virginia an easy choice. All of us at Carolina Structural Systems are excited to get underway!”

Carolina Structural System’s new Virginia facility will be strategically located along I-95, providing convenient access to markets in Richmond and Hampton Roads, as well as being equidistant from its existing locations in Star, NC, and Anderson, SC.

“Carolina Structural Systems’ decision to establish its new manufacturing facility in Greensville County underscores Virginia’s strategic location and excellent transportation network,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Virginia’s pro-business climate and skilled workforce continue to attract out-of-state companies seeking to expand, and this investment is a testament to that.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Greensville County and Virginia’s Growth Alliance to bring the project to Virginia. A $270,000 grant from the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund will assist Greensville County with the project, and the county will use local funds to match a $75,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, and funding and services to support the company’s employee recruitment and training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP). 

“The addition of Carolina Structural Systems to Emporia highlights the Commonwealth’s ability to attract innovative manufacturers to rural Virginia,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “This project will not only create valuable job opportunities but also contribute to the growth of Virginia’s forest products sector. We look forward to supporting them as they establish operations and become an integral part of Greensville County’s business community.”

“I am pleased that we could use the Governor’s Agricultural and Forestry Industries Development Fund to support Carolina Structural Systems’ investment in Greensville County,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr. “In addition to benefiting Virginia’s third largest industry with a new local market, this project helps to boost the local economy and incentivize Virginia landowners to keep their land in forest.”  

Wrap Technologies Relocates To SW Virginia, Brings 126 New Jobs

Wrap Technologies will relocate its manufacturing and distribution operations to Southwest Virginia, expanding the company’s commitment to defense and public safety technology. The new facility at Project Intersection in Norton will create 126 new jobs, and will serve as the central hub for Wrap’s manufacturing and distribution operations.

This expansion will support the development of next-generation tech products, including Wrap’s innovative AI and VR training platforms, integrated body camera systems, and planned advanced drone technologies designed for safer and more efficient law enforcement practices.

“Our move to Virginia allows us to work closely with our already established base, focus on our Made in America tech strategy, and begin implementing our plans to deliver an integrated solution to our customers across the state,” said Wrap Technologies Founder and CEO Scot Cohen.

“Virginia continues to be a prime location for leading technology companies,” said Virginia Department of Commerce and Trade Secretary Caren Merrick. “Wrap Technologies’ investment will not only advance our public safety infrastructure but also contribute to economic development and high-tech job creation in Southwest Virginia.”

The VEDP worked with the Lonesome Pine Regional Industrial Facilities Authority (RIFA), the LENOWISCO Planning District Commission, InvestSWVA, the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA), and the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission to bring the $4.1 million project to Virginia. A $425,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund will assist with the project, and funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the VJIP. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission awarded an $800,000 grant through its Southwest Economic Development program to support the project.

“We are thrilled to have Wrap Technologies moving to Southwest Virginia,” said Lonesome Pine RIFA Chairman Joseph Fawbush. “This is not just an investment in business but an investment in the people, community, and future of this region. This is another example of how the Lonesome Pine Regional Industrial Facilities Authority’s model of working together as a region helps make a rural area competitive in the recruitment of world-class companies like Wrap Technologies.”

“VCEDA was glad to assist by approving a $3,160,000 loan to the Norton Industrial Development Authority to assist with the construction of the new facility for this project at the Intersection development in Norton,” said VCEDA Executive Director Jonathan Belcher. “This project is an excellent example of regional cooperation at its best, and of what is possible in the business-friendly environment of Southwest Virginia.”

Super Radiator Coils To Expand Operations In Chesterfield County

Super Radiator Coils (SRC) will invest $22 million to expand its operations in Chesterfield County. The family-owned engineering and manufacturing company will add approximately 80,000 square feet to its existing Richmond facility and upgrade machinery, creating 160 new jobs. SRC also considered Minnesota and Arizona for the project.

“I’m hugely proud of the growth of our Chesterfield facility over the last 40+ years,” said Super Radiator Coils President and CEO Rob Holt. “And this latest expansion will allow us to continue our mission of unleashing the power of thermodynamics to improve our world. We take our role as a growing central Virginia employer seriously and can’t wait to see the impact of this latest growth on our ability to better support our customers, our community, and the men and women of our growing workforce.”

SRC manufactures heat exchangers and specialty coils for industries such as power generation, commercial and industrial HVAC, data center cooling, and the military, among others. Minnesota-based SRC also has operations in Phoenix and Chesterfield County. The Chesterfield facility, which employs roughly 400 individuals of varying disciplines and experience levels, has been named a Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace each of the last six years. This is the facility’s fourth expansion during its 44 years in Chesterfield, the most recent of which occurred in 2022.

“This investment in Chesterfield County truly underscores Virginia’s advantages for manufacturers,” said Secretary Merrick. “By expanding their footprint in the Commonwealth, Super Radiator Coils is highlighting the skilled workforce and strategic location that Central Virginia offers. We look forward to their continued contributions to Virginia’s thriving advanced manufacturing industry.”

The VEDP worked with Chesterfield County to bring the project to Virginia. A $610,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund will help Chesterfield County with the project. Support for Super Radiator Coils’ job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, ranked the No. 1 Customized Workforce Training Program in the U.S. by Business Facilities in 2024.

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