News Archive | Page 38 of 54 | Virginia's New River Valley

WFXR: Pulaski County Looks Abroad for Economic Development

January 31, 2019/0 Comments/in Pulaski County /by Onward NRV

(FROM WFXR NEWS) PULASKI COUNTY, VA – Turkish dignitaries concluded a three-stop tour of the New River Valley Tuesday at New River Community College, which showed off machinery and a future workforce they hope are worthy of investment.

It’s all part of an ongoing economic relationship between Turkey and Pulaski County, which leaders hope will pay off down the road.

“Sometimes, the most unlikely of relationships are the most fruitful,” said Jonathan Sweet, county administrator for Pulaski County.

His signature is on the bottom of a proclamation to make January 29th, 2019 “Republic of Turkey Day.”

“Their visit here demonstrates that we’ve got something to showcase, and there’s something special here,” he said.

He helped host two Turkish dignitaries Tuesday for a tour around New River Community College, a day after the pair made stops at Virginia Tech and Radford.

He’s not the only one thinking in dollar signs.

“Actually, we are trying to increase our trade volume, we are trying to increase our investment both ways,” said Mustafa Koca, the Chief Commercial Counselor of the Turkish Embassy.

Koca represents a country ranked 20th in GDP, with growing automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries; according to the the IMF and CIA, respectively.

In a 2018 release on NewRiverValley.org, Sweet writes in part, “More than 1,000 new jobs having come from (international) companies in the last 18 months.”

“And that they’re not going to find a better workforce anywhere in Virginia, anywhere in the U.S., than right here in Pulaski County,” he said.

Koca says he’s impressed with what he saw, but only time will tell how that translates economically.

Sweet hopes to leave the pair with a central message.

“That we are a welcoming community. That we are the center for international business is southwestern Virginia. And there is a place for foreign direct investment to be made here in Pulaski County, here in the New River Valley,” he said.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Torc Partners with Transdev on Autonomous Shuttle

January 11, 2019/0 Comments/in Unmanned Systems, Work Here /by Onward NRV

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Torc Robotics and Transdev are partnering on a fully autonomous shuttle, which the companies announced Monday at CES19 in Las Vegas.

Torc, a leading autonomous technology provider, is licensing its L4 Asimov self-driving software and sensor suite for the shuttle. Transdev, an operator and global integrator of mobility solutions, is providing its supervision system, connected infrastructure and client application, and embedded technology.

The companies intend the shuttles to act as complementary mobility to existing public transit networks. The shuttles could also act as an introduction of autonomous vehicles to the public.

“Our partnership brings together two companies with a similar vision for the future of autonomous mobility,” says Michael Fleming, Torc CEO. “We believe that shared mobility will be one of the cornerstone applications that lead the way to mass adoption of self-driving consumer vehicles.”

The shuttle was first announced in September 2018 by Transdev and Lohr, a leading French industrial company with more than 50 years of worldwide industrial experience in manufacturing vehicles. The i-Cristal autonomous shuttle can hold a maximum of 16 passengers.

For more information, read the full press release from Torc or TechCrunch.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

NRV Has 5 Best of Blue Ridge Award Winners

January 3, 2019/0 Comments/in Floyd County, Giles County, Live Here, Outdoors /by Onward NRV

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS – Virginia’s New River Valley is home to 5 of the winners from the Best of Blue Ridge 2018 Awards. Plus, an additional 14 finalists call the NRV home!

The 8th annual Best of the Blue Ridge Awards have over 100 categories for voters to input their favorites. Thousands of readers voted for the best food, drinks, business, places, and more.

Check out the mentions in the NRV:

Winners

Mill Creek, Best Biking Trail
FloydFest, Rowdiest Festival
FloydFest, Bust Music Festival
Floyd YogaJam, Best Retreat
Emily Satterwhite (Associate Professor of Appalachian Studies at Virginia Tech), Best Environmental Educator

Finalists

Cascade Falls, Waterfall
Pembroke Pond, Standup Paddleboard Spot
Kairos, Camp Site
Jefferson National Forest, National Forest
Mountain Lake Lodge, Luxury Destination
Mill Creek Nature Park, Pet-Friendly Adventure
Virginia’s Mountain Playground, Place to Play Hooky from Work
FloydFest, Weirdest Festival
FloydFest, Family-Friendly Festival
Mountains of Misery, Bike Race
Five Mile Mountain, Blue Ridge Booze
Walkabout Outfitters, Outdoor Store
In Balance Yoga, Yoga Studio
Tree Tops Adventures at Mountain Lake Lodge, Zip Line

For a complete list of winners, visit Blue Ridge Outdoors.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Is Business Facilities’ 2018 State Of The Year

January 3, 2019/0 Comments/in Accolade, Advanced Manufacturing, Food and Beverage Processing, Information Technology, Unmanned Systems /by Onward NRV

~The Commonwealth secures BF’s top annual honor with a diversified and successful high-tech growth strategy.~

TINTON FALLS, NJ – Virginia has been named Business Facilities magazine’s 2018 State of the Year.

“Virginia snared more than $5.5 billion in capital investment for its top two projects, and its top five job-creation efforts netted nearly 28,000 new jobs in a diverse and well-executed growth strategy that has made VA a high-tech force to be reckoned with,” said BF Editor-in-Chief Jack Rogers.

Rogers noted that VA has been a perennial contender for BF’s top honor due to its proximity to Washington DC, making it an attractive location for major corporate headquarters. In recent years, the Commonwealth has invested in fiber-optic networks that have made Northern Virginia the nation’s leading data center hub.

“The 21st-century infrastructure that Virginia has meticulously installed will serve as a fertile root system that will nurture a lush forest of high-tech enterprises in the Commonwealth for years to come,” Rogers said. “Virginia not only is ready to compete in the emerging high-tech battleground—it shows every intention of dominating the field.”

Crystal City, VA emerged last fall as a winner of the most coveted economic development project of the young century when Amazon awarded the city half of its $5 billion, 50,000-job HQ2 project (Long Island City in Queens, NY got the other half of the HQ2 mega-project, which was bisected by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos shortly before the site selections were announced).

The ultra-high-profile HQ2 victory was the second volley in an impressive one-two punch that also saw Micron announce in August a $3-billion expansion of its semiconductor complex in Manassas, VA. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra told Reuters the expansion would meet the burgeoning demand for more powerful computer chips that run collision-avoidance systems and other semi-autonomous automotive systems, a global market expected to reach $6 billion by 2021.

“Our State of the Year honorees usually have one thing in common,” Rogers said. “They can walk and chew gum at the same time—which in this case means they’re upgrading traditional industries while accelerating emerging growth sectors.”

New investments in traditional industries in VA in 2018 included paper and packaging leader WestRock’s decision to put $248 million into its paper mill and extrusion facilities in Alleghany County.

Virginia also excelled as a prime destination for foreign direct investment, including an announcement from Press Glass, the largest independent flat glass processing operation in Europe, to establish its first Virginia manufacturing facility in Henry County.

Virginia posted a strong showing in BF’s 2018 State Rankings Report, earning top-10 results in our Best Business Climate, Cybersecurity Employment Leaders, Drone Leaders, and Workforce Training Leaders categories, among others.

Business Facilities is a national publication that has been the leading location source for corporate site selectors and economic development professionals for more than 50 years.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Roanoke Times: Beliveau Estate to Launch New Brewery

December 21, 2018/0 Comments/in Food and Beverage Processing, Live Here, Montgomery County /by Onward NRV

FROM THE ROANOKE TIMES — Beliveau Estate Winery will launch a new brewery next year as the popular New River Valley destination looks to broaden its appeal beyond date nights and wine enthusiasts.

Owner Yvan Beliveau said he’ll start small with enough beer to accommodate guests at the 60-acre farm. He hopes to offer large canned beers — known as crowlers — for customers to take home, but the goal is not to become a major beer distributor.

Instead, the business wants to experiment with small batches to tap into the local beer culture and draw a larger crowd to the estate about 30 minutes from downtown Blacksburg. The winery is known for its events, including a lavender festival and weekly live music.

“We’re a destination place and we’ve got to remember that,” Beliveau said. “Right now we want to satisfy the people who would like to come out here to enjoy the place.”

Read more from Jacob Demmitt at The Roanoke Times.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Named #4 Best State for Business

December 4, 2018/0 Comments/in Accolade, Work Here /by Onward NRV

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Forbes’s rankings are published for 2018 and Virginia is the number 4 best state for business.

Virginia moved up one spot from number 5 in 2017.

The ranking also puts Virginia as the number 1 state for quality of life and regulatory environment. The top 10 states feature locations all over the country.

Top 10 Best States for Business:

1. North Carolina
2. Utah
3. Texas
4. Virginia
5. Nebraska
6. Georgia
7. Florida
8. Colorado
9. Washington
10. Minnesota

The list is created by looking at cost of business, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects, quality of life, and population.

For more information, visit Forbes.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Red Rooster Coffee Named A Top 12 Coffee Roaster in the U.S. by Forbes

December 4, 2018/0 Comments/in Accolade, Floyd County, Food and Beverage Processing, Live Here /by Onward NRV

FLOYD, VA – Floyd, Virginia is a small but mighty town full of artisans and inventors. A couple of those makers started Red Rooster Coffee in 2010, “with the simple notion of roasting excellent coffee.”

Since then, Red Rooster has won numerous awards, including a shout out from Forbes naming Red Rooster one of the 12 best coffee roasters in the U.S. in a holiday gift guide.

From Forbes:

Red Rooster is in a most improbable spot for a world-class coffee roaster: Floyd, Virginia, population 438. Now eight-years-old and with a brand new roastery and cafe down the street from their original space, Red Rooster not only sources and roasts with thoughtfulness and precision, they also take the time to commission original art for their bags.

Virginia’s new River Valley is no stranger to quality, artisan coffee. Other local roasters include Brugh Coffee, Radford Coffee Co., and Open Road Roastery.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

MELD™ Technology Named Winner and Receives “Market Disruptor” Recognition at R&D 100 Awards

December 3, 2018/0 Comments/in Advanced Manufacturing, Montgomery County, Work Here /by Onward NRV

CHRISTIANSBURG, VA – MELD Manufacturing Corporation’s patented MELD™ technology has earned a spot in the 2018 R&D 100 Awards, an international competition that recognizes the 100 most exceptional innovations in science and technology from the past year. MELD™ was selected as the single most disruptive new technology and received a special Market Disruptor award.

MELD™, which was named an R&D 100 finalist in August, is a revolution for additive manufacturing and repair of metals. Traditional methods melt materials, introducing weaknesses. MELD™ is a no-melt process for metal, offering stronger, better parts. No melting also means users have the potential to work with unweldable materials. This freedom offers the ability to rethink how particular materials are used for various applications and in what combinations. Since MELD™ is highly scalable it is able to make much larger parts than competitive processes. It is also the first system of its kind for building large-scale 3D parts.

“We are intent on revolutionizing advanced manufacturing and are honored for MELD™ to be recognized as the most disruptive technology in the world,” stated MELD Manufacturing Corporation CEO Nanci Hardwick. “We know from the overwhelming response to MELD™ that there is a huge gap in existing technologies to fill the needs of manufacturers in diverse industries.”

MELD Manufacturing Corporation launched in 2018 and its immediate relevance to the manufacturing community was made evident at the 2018 North American RAPID + TCT conference and exhibition, an event boasting more than 6,000 visitors and 300 exhibitors from the additive manufacturing community. MELD™ was selected from this sizeable group of established industry leaders to receive the 2018 RAPID + TCT Innovation Award, a recognition of the most innovative new technology with industry-changing potential.

MELD™ next won first-place in the Robotics/Automation/Manufacturing category of the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) Create the Future Design Contest. The contest, produced by SAE’s Tech Briefs Media Group, recognizes the year’s best in engineering across seven categories. MELD™ was selected from more than 800 entries from over 60 countries.

“The defining characteristic of MELD™ is that it is a no-melt process,” continued Hardwick. “Melting metals creates problems. Since there is no melting during the MELD™ process, it’s valuable for a wide range of applications, from manufacturing stronger, lighter components for the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries to repairing large metal components that are considered unweldable and cannot be salvaged by any other process.”

Long considered the elite recognition of new developments in science and technology, the R&D 100 Awards is now in its 56th year. The awards are competitively judged and exist to “recognize excellence and inspire innovation.” This year’s winners were announced at the annual R&D 100 Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Visit www.meldmanufacturing.com for more information.

###

MELD Manufacturing Corporation holds more than a dozen patents for MELD™ technology, an innovative process for additive manufacturing, coating, joining, and repairing metals and metal matrix composites. MELD™ offers the power to build parts in solid state, thereby avoiding the issues associated with melting. The technology is also open-atmosphere, meaning no special vacuums or chambers are needed for operation. The MELD™ equipment is scalable and can produce parts much larger than similar processes. MELD Manufacturing Corporation offers MELD machines sales, contract manufacturing, and consulting services. Learn more at www.meldmanufacturing.com.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Tech Secures America’s Longest Active Bowl Streak

December 3, 2018/0 Comments/in Education, Live Here, Montgomery County /by Onward NRV

BLACKSBURG, VA – The Virginia Tech Hokies officially hold the longest active bowl streak in America with 26 straight bowl game appearances.

The Hokies beat Virginia last month, which led to a conditional game with Marshall. After sealing the victory of 41-20, the Hokies will officially keep playing in the postseason.

Graphic from Virginia Tech Football Twitter.

The Florida State Seminoles have appeared in bowl games for the last 36 consecutive seasons, but their streak ended after losing to Florida. That puts Virginia Tech at the top of the list for active bowl game streaks.

College Football Bowl Game Streak Leaderboard:

1. Virginia Tech – 26 years
2. Georgia – 21 years
3. Oklahoma – 19 years
4. Louisiana State – 18 years
5. Wisconsin – 16 years & Boise State – 16 years
7. Alabama – 14 years
8. Clemson – 13 years
9. Oklahoma State – 12 years
10. Stanford – 9 years & Texas A&M – 9 years

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

###

###

Winners

Finalists

###

###

10. RU Highlander Ranked #1 Mascot by USA Today

9. Blacksburg A Best Place to Live

8. NRV Ranked No. 6 Top Job Market

7. Floyd Named Most Underrated City in VA

6. Floyd and Giles Top Counties in VA to Buy a House

5. Cogar Manufacturing Comes to Giles County

4. 10 Things to Do in the NRV This Summer

3. “Why Blacksburg, VA Is a Best Place to Live”

2. Virginia Tech Football No. 1 Most Electric Entrance

1. Narrows #4 Safest Place to Live in VA

###

###

Top 10 Best States for Business:

###

###

###

College Football Bowl Game Streak Leaderboard:

###

Contact Us

Connect with Us