Advanced Integrated Technologies (AIT) will invest $500,000 to expand in the City of Norfolk, Virginia. AIT is a ship repair contractor for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and the marine, industrial, and commercial industries in North America. The company will increase capacity at its location in the Norfolk Industrial Park to serve recent government contract awards from the U.S. Department of Defense. AIT also considered California and Pennsylvania for the project, which will create 76 new jobs in Virginia.
“I am so excited to announce that AIT will be expanding our Virginia footprint to restimulate the local workforce and talent pool while providing more capabilities to service our war fighting ships,” said Cheryl Spraberry, AIT’s President. “In 2022, we invested in equipment to launch our new fabrication and machining division and our in-house welding school to prepare and train our current employees, as well as our newest capability of starting an NDT Lab in 2023-2024. These new capabilities will allow AIT to continue to control its own destiny while creating jobs from local talent in our enterprise zone. Our team is truly humbled by this new partnership with the City of Norfolk and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and I look forward to continuing to grow our business and provide a family-oriented environment to our future workforce.”
A Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, AIT’s production capabilities support a full spectrum of repair, overhaul, alteration, and maintenance for virtually every shipboard system. In addition to providing ship repair and maintenance services, AIT also houses a machining and fabrication division, as well as in-house welding capabilities.
“Advanced Integrated Technologies has been a valued member of the thriving maritime industry in Hampton Roads for over a decade, and the company’s continued investment and job creation in Norfolk is a powerful testament to the strength of the local workforce and the region as an international shipping hub,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We are proud to support this expansion and look forward to AIT’s future growth in the Commonwealth.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with the City of Norfolk to secure the project and will support AIT’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment, retention and training. The company is also eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
“The ship repair industry is a major economic driver for Hampton Roads, and valued partners like AIT ensure commercial and government marine vessels will thrive,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “The Commonwealth’s workforce training incentives help secure these competitive projects, and we are pleased to support AIT’s expansion in Norfolk and the addition of 76 new jobs for the region’s hardworking residents.”
PRINCO Picks Norfolk
Also in Norfolk, North Carolina-based PRINCO LLC announced it would establish a healthcare products manufacturing facility late last month. PRINCO will create approximately 284 jobs and initially invest $18.1 million, with potential additional investment of $5.7 million. A joint venture comprised of Premier, Inc., Vario Labs LLC of Virginia Beach, and Caretrust LLC, PRINCO will manufacture incontinence pads, bringing production of the product from overseas to the U.S. to support more than 4,400 hospitals in Premier’s customer portfolio, as well as other healthcare providers nationwide.
“A strong workforce, expanding port infrastructure, and access to domestic and global markets make the Commonwealth of Virginia an ideal location for the production of incontinence pads – a vital product for our nation’s healthcare providers,” said Michael J. Alkire, President and CEO of Premier. “We thank the Governor, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and the City of Norfolk officials for their work with us on this project. This investment and their support will help drive greater domestic production of the supplies providers need to care for patients – and strengthen resiliency in the U.S. healthcare supply chain.”
“Virginia’s extremely business-friendly environment and Norfolk’s site-ready locations and great access to The Port of Virginia made this an easy choice for Virginia,” said Brent Dillie, CEO, PRINCO LLC. “With the excellent healthcare ecosystem in the region and the great state and local focus on workforce development, our manufacturing operations will thrive here.”
“Virginia’s extremely business-friendly environment and Norfolk’s site-ready locations and great access to The Port of Virginia made this an easy choice for Virginia.”
— Brent Dillie, CEO, PRINCO LLC
“A manufacturer’s ability to promptly produce and distribute innovative healthcare products in an ever-growing industry is critical to its providers and their customers. We are delighted that Norfolk’s advanced transportation infrastructure and robust workforce offer significant logistical advantages for domestic distribution,” said Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander. “We appreciate Premier, Inc.’s trust in our ability to bolster its U.S. production capabilities and essential role in the global healthcare industry. The creation of an anticipated 284 jobs will support Norfolk’s thriving workforce.”
Gov. Youngkin has approved a $50,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the City of Norfolk with the project. PRINCO LLC is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, as well as from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the VJIP.
SanMar Tags Virginia For Its Largest Distribution Operation
Elsewhere in Virginia, SanMar® Corporation, a supplier of wholesale accessories and apparel, will invest at least $50 million to establish a distribution operation in the East Coast Commerce Center in Hanover County. The 1.1 million-square-foot distribution facility will be SanMar’s largest operation, becoming the flagship center for the company’s East Coast distributions. SanMar also considered North Carolina for the project, which will create up to 1,000 new jobs.
“Whenever we look at a facility, of course we’re looking at logistics and the labor market, but we’re also really looking at the community and the culture, and the people who will be working in the building,” said Jeremy Lott, CEO of SanMar. “When we came here, we knew right away that this is a place we wanted to be. As we met and talked with people in the area, we knew this could be a great fit for us and for our future growth. We couldn’t be more excited to be here—to fill up this building, to build our team here, and to make this a home for a really long time.”