Governor Ralph Northam today announced that BGF Industries, Inc., a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-performance technical fiber materials for global markets, will invest $7 million to relocate its corporate headquarters and R&D operation from Greensboro, North Carolina to the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County. The company will initially construct a 25,000-square-foot facility in 2019 in the Danville-Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility Authority-owned Cyber Park for its headquarters and research and development facility.
“BGF Industries, Inc. is a global company with strong ties to Virginia, maintaining operations in the Commonwealth for over 60 years,” said Governor Northam. “The company’s decision to relocate its corporate headquarters and expand research and development capacity in Danville-Pittsylvania County is a clear testament to the appeal of Southern Virginia’s skilled labor force, research assets, and competitive business costs. We are confident that BGF will thrive from its new home in the Cyber Park.”
Operating as Burlington Glass Fabrics, BGF Industries was the first weaver of fiberglass textiles in 1941 and became a subsidiary of the Porcher Groupe of Badinières, France in 1988. Today, with sales of over $150 million, the company is known for developing enduring solutions for products and processes that require lightweight, thermal, or high-strength design elements. BGF Industries has developed over 35 patents for its specialized finishes and processes. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Virginia and South Carolina, with a total of 800 employees.
“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,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “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.”
“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,” said CEO and Chairman of Porcher Industries Andre Genton. “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.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County, and the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Northam approved a $275,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved $620,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project. BGF Industries is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, as well as Sales and Use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
“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,” said Chairman of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority Robert W. Warren. “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 and Pittsylvania County for this truly cutting-edge operation.”
“On behalf of the City of Danville, I want to thank BGF Industries for choosing to call Danville its home,” said Mayor of the City of Danville Alonzo Jones. “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.”
“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,” said Virginia Tobacco Commissioner Senator William Stanley. “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.”
“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,” said Virginia Tobacco Commissioner Delegate Danny Marshall. “The Tobacco Commission has supported both this project and the development of the Cyber Park and 65 new jobs is a great result.”