Governor McAuliffe Announces $38.1 Million Volvo Group Investment in Pulaski County

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Volvo to upgrade truck plant, develop Customer Experience Center, add 32 jobs in New River Valley

DUBLIN – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the Volvo Group will invest $38.1 million at the New River Valley (NRV) assembly facility in Pulaski County, where all Volvo Trucks models for North America are assembled. The investment will allow Volvo to make several plant upgrades and build a 36,000-square-foot Volvo Trucks Customer Experience Center on the NRV grounds. In addition to the investment, Volvo will add 32 new jobs at NRV.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McAuliffe said, “Growing the advanced manufacturing industry is a key part of our efforts to create jobs, diversify and build a new Virginia economy. This is the largest Volvo truck manufacturing facility in the world, and we are pleased that the Volvo Group chose Virginia for this significant expansion that will ensure its success and longevity in Pulaski County for years to come.” “This announcement is a testament to the great workforce and best-in-class business environment in Pulaski County and the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. “The advanced manufacturing industry in Virginia continues to gain momentum, and we are proud that Volvo is a leader in this key sector.” Volvo Trucks provides complete transport solutions for professional and demanding customers, offering a full range of medium to heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is secured via a global network of 2,200 dealers and workshops in more than 120 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 16 countries across the globe. In 2014, more than 117,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment, and drive systems for marine and industrial applications. The Group also provides solutions for financing and service. Volvo’s work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care. “Volvo’s investment in the NRV facility and in the development of a Customer Experience Center is evidence of our commitment to our employees and the Pulaski County community,” said Gӧran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “Our competitive advantage stems from our innovative products and services, and also from our dedicated employees.” The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with Pulaski County to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $100,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Pulaski with the project.The Governor also approved a $2 million performance-based grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership program, an incentive available to existing Virginia companies. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Additional funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, administered by VEDP. “The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors and County staff are pleased to have assisted Volvo with this effort,” said Joe Sheffey, Chairman, Pulaski County Board of Supervisors. “We are extremely proud of what Volvo has accomplished over the past 40 years. Volvo continues to be a leader in the local economy, in our quality of life and in the environmental care for the community we call home.” “This is fantastic news for Pulaski County and the New River Valley,” said Delegate Nick Rush. “Volvo Trucks is one of the best manufacturers in the world, and their commitment to the New River Valley is a testament to the hard work of its employees and the County’s continued efforts to bring good-paying jobs to our community.” “The Volvo Group has been a valuable community partner in Pulaski County and the New River Valley Region,” said Senator Ben Chafin. “It is great to see Volvo continuing to invest in Virginia. These new jobs are a positive step forward in building a stronger economy in Southwest Virginia.” Since the beginning of the McAuliffe administration, 471 economic development deals have been closed in Virginia with more than $7.799 billion in capital investment, more than any previous governor in his first 20 months in office. Office of the Governor Contact: Brian Coy (804) 225-4260 Brian.Coy@governor.virginia.gov Virginia Economic Development Partnership Contact: Suzanne Clark (804) 545-5806 Sclark@yesvirginia.org Volvo Trucks North America Contact: John Mies (336) 543-9094 John.Mies@volvo.com

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NRV Named a Top Metro by Site Selection Magazine

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New River Valley, VA – The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metropolitan statistical area, known locally as the New River Valley, has been named a “Top Metro” for 2014 by Site Selection magazine. Among 132 metro areas with populations less than 200,000, the NRV ranked No. 4 (tie) nationally with nine new or expanding corporate facility announcements in 2014.


Published by Conway Data Inc., Site Selection delivers expansion planning information to over 44,000 readers including corporate executives, site selection consultants, and real estate professionals. The annual “Top Metros” rankings appeared in the March 2015 issue.


Site Selection used 2014 data from the Conway New Plant Database to examine new and expanding company growth in all 381 MSAs in the United States. The 2014 rankings were split into three Top 10 lists based on population, including less than 200,000, 200,000 to 1 million, and over 1 million.


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s 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's new river valley, new river valley, shopping, quality of life, town, downtown, shop local, small business

NRV Ranked No. 7 Most Secure Small City in U.S.

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New River Valley, VA – The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metropolitan statistical area, known locally as the New River Valley, is one of the safest places to live in America, according to Farmers Insurance. The Los Angeles-based insurance company recently ranked the area No. 7 on its list of the Top 20 Most Secure Small Cities of 2013. The list, in its nineth year, identifies the most secure small metro areas in the U.S. based on safety and security statistics.


The Farmer Insurance rankings are based on the findings of a study conducted by quality of life expert, Bert Sperling. The study examined over one hundred metropolitan areas – with populations less than 150,000 – using several indicators, including economic stability, crime, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, housing depreciation, foreclosures, air quality, environmental hazards, life expectancy, motor vehicle fatalities, and employment numbers.


“Our most secure metropolitan areas are islands of security in our challenging times,” said Bert Sperling in a press release from Farmers Insurance. “Although each metropolitan area is different, they all possess a desirable combination of factors (jobs, low crime rates, housing, climate, health, reduced levels of natural disasters) that make these some of the best places to live in the United States.”

Virginia’s New River Valley has three previous appearances on the Top 20 list. Since 2010, the area has climbed from No. 19 to No. 7 on the list. The area’s highest ranking came in 2006, when it debuted at No. 3.


The Farmer Insurance accolade isn’t the first time that that the New River Valley has been recognized for its safety and security. Bloomberg Businessweek and Homes.com ranked Blacksburg the best place in the U.S. to raise a family/kids in 2011 and 2012; respectively. Both cited the area’s low crime rate as one of the factors that contributed to its No. 1 ranking.


The New River Valley has also received third-party accolades for job growth, an important factor used in assessing an area’s economic security. Since 2012, the area has been ranked the No. 5 Best Small City for Job Growth by Forbes, No. 5 Top City for Job Growth by CNBC, No. 29 Best Place for Jobs by NewGeography, and No. 2 American City Adding Jobs by 24/7 Wall Street. Christiansburg was also recently ranked the No. 10 Best Place in Virginia for Job Seekers by NerdWallet.