Southern Virginia is blessed with vast natural resources and an educational infrastructure supporting jobs in forestry and agriculture. With enhanced research and automation, companies flourish in high quality production of wood products, food processing, energy, and bio-based product companies who call Southern Virginia Home.
Ready for Environmental & Life Science Companies
- Availability of class-one rail-served sites and buildings (Norfolk Southern Railway)
- Abundance of excess water and sewer capacities throughout the region
- Access to Mid-Atlantic Gateway at Port of Virginia and International Airports
- Natural gas extended to majority of sites and buildings
- Robust fiber with speeds to 1.3 terabytes per second
- Abundant electric capacity with competitive rates
- Mile per minute transportation ratio
- Available sites and infrastructure from incubation to megasites with available pads, shell buildings and existing facilities
- Air attainment zone with low risk of natural disaster
Existing Industry | *FDI, Glass, Pharmaceuticals, Wood, Tobacco, Food, Beverage
A Growing International Community
Southern Virginia has a growing international community. The below flags signify the countries that already call Southern Virginia home.
Reasons to Be Here
- Virginia Cooperative Extension Services
- Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex
- Forestry Volume
- Southside Virginia’s Wine Trail
- Reynolds Homestead Affiliated with VA Tech
- R&D and Testing Support with Labs and Clean Rooms
- The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR)
- VA Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center
- VA Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS)
- Robust Environment from Agribusiness and Forestry to Finished Products
- Agriculture and Forestry – 1st and 3rd Largest Industry in Virginia
Workforce where 17.2% are employed in manufacturing; accustomed to shift work, team work and critical thinking; all in a right-to-work state.
Workforce Training Programs
- American Production and Inventory Control Certification
- Production and Inventory Management Certificate
- Certified Supply Chain Professional
- Logistics Management Certification
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
- MSSC Manufacturing Production Technician
- Food Handling Safety Courses
- ServSafe
- Food Processing
- Agribusiness
- Industrial Maintenance
- ASQ Certification
Suppliers & Partners Network
- Future Farmers of America
- Virginia Farm Bureau
- Virginia Forestry Association
- Cobblestone Dairy Co-Op
Awards & Rankings
- 2023 CNBC Ranking: #2 Best State for Business
- #1 in the Nation for Continuing Workforce Training Advantage
- Smart Asset Ranking: #1 Top States for Higher Education
- 2019 Ranking – NCSES – #3 Top State for Federal Research and Development Funding
Jurisdictions in Southern Virginia are ACT Certified Work Ready Communities (Virginia’s Original Pilot Program).
