Alabama

Oil Equipment Manufacturer Relocates to Mobile

Kvaerner Oilfield Products is closing its 225,000 square-foot manufacturing and research and development facility in Houston and moving operations to the Port of Mobile. Company officials said key factors in the selection were logistics such as proximity to deepwater, commercial opportunities and incentives. The facility represents parent company Aker Kvaerner's first presence in Alabama. Kvaerner Oilfield manufactured "trees" and controls used in offshore oil drilling in Houston. The Mobile plant will manufacture new steel tube umbilicals.

Blastech Expands in Mobile

Blastech Corp., a unit of Ontario-based Brantford, plans to build a steel-plate blasting and painting line in Mobile. Blastech Mobile LLC expects to have the line operational by the end of January 2004.

Arkansas

Plastics Company Expands in Conway

Uniforce Plastics LLC plans to open a new facility in Conway. Uniforce Plastics will occupy 36,000 square feet of the Covington Commercial Complex. The 400,000 square-foot complex is the former Carrier Refrigeration facility, which has been renovated and converted into multi-tenant space. Uniforce will hire up to 50 employees over the next several months. The company will produce custom, vacuum-form, plastic parts for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and machinery.

Ryerson Tull Opening Plant at Hickman

Ryerson Tull Inc. of Chicago will hire 20-25 employees for a steel processing plant in Hickman. The plant will sell temper passed sheet, strip mill plate, and coiled product to its hot rolled carbon steel customers.

Florida

Body Armor Maker Expands in South Florida

N.Y.-based body armor maker DHB Industries has expanded to South Florida. The company is leasing a 104,000 square-foot building at the Atlantic Business Center in Pompano Beach. DHB also has facilities in nearby Oakland Park and Deerfield Beach. In addition to New York and Florida, DHB also maintains facilities in Tennessee and Virginia.

Mattress Co. Relocates to Poinciana

Virginia-based Symbol Mattress Co. is planning to build a 165,000 square-foot manufacturing plant and warehouse in Poinciana. The $4 million project will create 50 to 60 jobs when completed. The new facility will replace a smaller site in Orange County, Fla.

Cable TV Co. Expands in Orlando

Colorado-based Adelphia Communications Corp. will open a new customer contact and sales support center in Orlando. The call center, to be located in the South Park industrial center in South Orlando, is expected to create 450 new jobs by the end of 2004. Adelphia is the fifth-largest cable television company in the country, serving 3,500 communities in 31 states and Puerto Rico. The 50,000 square-foot facility will begin handling calls in April.

Kraft May Relocate Latin American HQs to Florida

Kraft may relocate its Latin American regional headquarters from New York to Miami-Dade County if an incentive package submitted to the county and state by the Beacon Council economic development group is approved. The package reportedly includes a state of Florida Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund. Kraft will invest more than $2 million in South Florida to locate about 35,000 square feet of office space.

Building Material Co. to Expand in South Florida

Builders FirstSource, which sells building materials to residential developers, plans to build a new distribution and manufacturing facility in southeast Florida. The plant will be located in St. Lucie County, about 60 miles north of West Palm Beach. Company officials report that the initial plans call for a distribution center and rebar fabrication operation, and that the company eventually will expand the facility to include a roof and floor truss plant. The 125,000 square-foot center will be built on 23 acres and is expected to begin operating in summer 2004.

DHL Worldwide Express Coming to Plantation

DHL is relocating its U.S. headquarters from San Francisco to Plantation, Florida (Broward County). The company, with sales over $6.7 billion in 2001, is a global leader of the international air express industry, accounting for a market share of 37.5 percent. DHL Worldwide Express already employs 87 in Plantation and has a network of 16 service centers across the state. The project is expected to bring 517 total jobs to Florida with capital investment of $1.3 million.

Military Contractor Announces Expansion in Metro Orlando

A top supplier of military batter assemblies for the U.S. Armed Forces has announced a 40,000 square-foot expansion that will retain 130 jobs and create 180 new jobs in the next two years. Matthews Associates, Inc.'s new manufacturing facility will be located in the City of Sanford and represents an estimated capital investment of $2.3 million.

Georgia

Georgia Lands New Distribution Center

Kohl's Corp. is building a new distribution center in Bibb County that could employ up to 300 workers. The center will use about 80 acres in the Airport East Industrial Park.

Pet Care Company Builds New Plant in Jesup

International Absorbents Inc. has started construction of an 86,000 square-foot manufacturing and warehousing facility in Jesup. The company will produce environmentally friendly pet-care products at the facility. It will be the first East Coast plant for the company. The 15-acre facility is part of International Absorbents three-stage expansion plan to increase its overall production capacity, according to company officials.

Ceramics Company Expands in Wilkinson County

Carbo Ceramics plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Wilkinson County, Ga. to take advantage of raw material deposits the company bought in the area during the last two years. Company officials said the new facility would employ several hundred people during the two-year construction phase. Upon completion the new facility will employ a full-time labor force of 45 to 50 employees. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2005 and will cost approximately $62 million. Carbo Ceramics produces and supplies ceramic proppants, which are used in the hydraulic fracturing of natural gas and oil wells.

Aviation Company Locates in Carrollton

AirTran Airways will employ 200 workers at its new call center in Carrollton. The Orlando, Fla.-based company plans to open the facility in late March. Company officials say they chose Carrollton for AirTran's third call center because of the available labor force and proximity to Atlanta.

RBC Centura Banks Relocates to Midtown Atlanta

RBC Centura Banks Inc. has relocated its Georgia regional operations to the Centergy at Technology Square building in midtown Atlanta. A full-service retail bank branch opened on the building's ground level in Jan, 2004. Ron Day, president of RBC Centura's operations in Georgia, said the new location will enable RBC Centura to centralize its management and support functions for Georgia, as well as provide regional offices for parent RBC Financial Group's other U.S. subsidiaries that are moving toward launching or increasing their presence in this market.

Cooper Wiring Relocates Headquarters to Peachtree City

Cooper Wiring Devices, a subsidiary of Cooper Industries, will relocate its division headquarters from Long Island City, N.Y. to Peachtree City, Ga. Cooper Wiring Devices is building a $6 million 50,000 square-foot building that will employ as many as 115 people. This move will put the division in closer proximity to Cooper Lighting. Construction should be completed late in the third quarter of 2004. The company offers wiring devices, switches, plugs, and receptacles to deliver and control electrical power.

Kansas

AIG Expands in Olathe

American International Group Inc. will bring about 300 jobs to Olathe. Reportedly, Olathe was competing with Dallas for the unit. The operation will use almost 60,000 square feet in the I-35/119th Street Technology Park.

Aerospace Firm Expands in Sedgwick County

California-based aerospace subcontractor Aircraft Seal and Gasket Corp. is opening a 15,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Wichita where it plans to hire 10 workers. The facility could be expanded by an additional 25,000 square feet in the future.

Kentucky

Neogen Expands in Kentucky

Michigan-based Neogen Corp., a food quality and safety testing company, is expanding its Lexington operations with a larger facility and 70 new employees. Neogen has bought a $2 million facility to house its disinfectant manufacturing operations.

Citicorp May Expand in Louisville

Citicorp Credit Services Inc. is considering expanding its local credit card operations in Kentucky. The expansion would mean an investment of more than $35.8 million and the creation of 1,620 new jobs, according to Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), the metro chamber of commerce. In a news release, GLI said Citicorp is considering a proposal put together by the chamber, Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government, and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

ACS Expands in Lexington

Affiliated Computer Services Inc., a Dallas-based company that provides business process outsourcing and information-technology solutions, is in the process of adding 500 jobs in Lexington. Many of the positions are being created to support a new call center on that will provide customer care services. ACS already has hired 100 people and plans to fill the remaining 400 jobs during the next six months.

Canadian Snowplow Manufacturer Expands in Shepherdsville

Snowbear Ltd. has purchased the 103,000 square-foot former Ziniz Inc. plant in Shepherdsville. The company plans to refurbish the former conveyor systems plant into its first U.S. manufacturing facility. Snowbear has invested $2.5 million in the plant, which will employ 200 workers.

Maryland

Lowe's Expands Maryland Operations

Lowe's is constructing a distribution center at the CSX Valley Park in Hagerstown that will create 10 new full-time jobs and retain the company's 28 full-time employees. Lowe's will spend $17.8 million on the new 228,061-square-foot distribution center.

Home Depot Expands in Hagerstown

Home Depot is opening a new distribution center in Hagerstown. The move is expected to bring 230 new jobs over the next two years in the 454,000 square feet building the company will occupy. The center will supply door hardware, faucets and other bathroom fixtures and accessories for the Atlanta-based home improvement store chain. Prompting the company's decision, Home Depot officials cited the center's location near interstates 81 and 70 as key to providing easy access to its Northeast customers, along with strong support the company received from county and state officials.

Oceaneering Pumps Up Maryland Presence

Oceaneering International Inc., a technology firm that provides engineering and hardware services to the marine and space industries, is pumping up its Maryland presence in a move to Anne Arundel County. The public company is expanding into 145,000 square feet of office and production space in the Hillside Business Park. The new facility will bring 171 jobs to Anne Arundel and create another 80 positions by 2010. The building will be used for equipment production and assembly.

Mississippi

Future Pipe Builds Two New Facilities in Gulfport

Future Pipe Industries is expanding in Gulfport with the construction of two new facilities on a 25-acre site. The company will build a 130,000 square-foot manufacturing plant and a 10,000 square-foot administration building that will employ 300 workers. Company officials said Future Pipe chose the site because it had room to store the 12-foot diameter specialized pipe that will be produced in the plant. The company is investing $15 million on the first stage of construction. Two additional phases will begin in 2005.

Trex Set to Build Third Mississippi Plant

Trex Company, Inc. has selected a 100-acre parcel of land in Olive Branch for its third manufacturing plant. The manufacturing facility at this site is expected to become the company's largest, and current plans call for operations to commence in mid-2005. It will supply the manufacturing and distribution capacity Trex Company needs to fulfill demand for its Trex decking and railing products, which has grown 30 percent per year during the last five years. The project calls for a 250,000-square-foot facility to be constructed in its initial phase, with the potential for expansion, doubling the size of the plant. The capital investment for phase one is expected to reach $50 million. The plant initially will employ about 100 people with an average wage of $15 an hour.

Missouri

FedEx Ground Expands in Kansas City

FedEx Ground is poised to build a warehouse and distribution facility that will initially employ as many as 70 workers by September. The company will reportedly invest up to $4 million in land and equipment. It plans to start construction soon on an eight-acre parcel. Company officials said that after the facility is up and running, FedEx would consider doubling its size and taking on an additional 50 workers.

American Railcar Industries to Add 250 Workers

American Railcar Industries (ARI) of St. Charles, Mo. recently announced plans to add 250 workers to its plants in Marmaduke and Paragould. ARI is boosting employment to meet production goals of railroad cars. The company hopes to have all workers on staff by the end of 2004.

North Carolina

Lumber Plant Expands in Charlotte

Gregory Wood Products Inc. will invest $20 million in a Catawba, N.C. plant. Over the next three years, company officials expect the plant to create 110 full-time jobs. The first phase of the plant should be in operation by the end of 2005, with the second phase slated to open by mid-2006. The fully computerized sawmill will process pine and hardwoods. More than 70 million board feet of lumber are expected to be processed annually.

Netherlands Company to Expand in Triangle

Diosynth Biotechnology, a world-leading manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients, plans to invest more than $100 million over the next few years to expand in the Research Triangle. Diosynth's Research Triangle Park facility will grow in importance as the company's parent, Akzo Nobel, sells its non-pharmaceuticals units, according to company officials.

New Internet-Based Business Selects Rocky Mount

Roanoke Technology Corporation, an Internet-based search engine optimization company, will locate its headquarters and operation in Rocky Mount's Northside Business Park. The project will create 75 jobs.

Illinois Company Expands in Charlotte

Illinois Tool Works, Inc., a diversified manufacturing company based in Glenview, Ill., is opening a commercial cooking equipment plant in Charlotte that will employ 75 workers. The company will invest about $10 million in the project.

A.F.G. Wipes Builds First U.S. Plant in Reidsville

A.F.G. Wipes Inc., subsidiary of Albaad Massuot Yitzhak Ltd., an international company with headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, is investing between $25 million and $30 million to build its first U.S. plant in Reidsville. The company will hire 200 employees to manufacture wet wipes.

Detergent Co. Expands in Winston-Salem

Jennico2 Inc., a Wisconsin-based detergent manufacturer, has chosen Winston-Salem for a manufacturing facility. The company is investing $5 million in an existing building that will create 30-40 new jobs. The company will lease space at Union Cross Business Park in an 84,119 square-foot speculative building, which can be doubled in size to accommodate growth.

Corporate HQ Goes to Charlotte

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Inc. is moving its headquarters and light-manufacturing operations to Charlotte from Burlington, Vt. this year, creating more than 400 jobs and investing $30 million.

Oklahoma

Vanguard Car Rental Inc. to Relocate to Tulsa

National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car, which together make up the world's third largest airport car rental company, will move its headquarters from Florida to Tulsa, bringing up to 700 high-level jobs and a direct annual payroll of up to $38.5 million. Economists estimate another 590 additional indirect jobs will be created in the community as businesses begin to serve the newly located firm. Indirect and direct employment combined could ultimately mean as many as 1,290 new jobs in the Tulsa area with an estimated combined annual payroll of more than $75 million. Currently headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the company will gradually move its offices to Tulsa over the coming months. The move is expected to be completed by late 2004.

South Carolina

Quality Model Group Expands to Orangeburg County

The Quality Model Group of companies has chosen Orangeburg County as the location for its newest molding facility. Quality Model Plastics will construct a $6 million manufacturing facility in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park and plans to hire 35 workers. The facility is scheduled to open in March 2004. This location strategically places the facility in central proximity of the companies that it supplies. Quality Model Plastics specializes in plastic injection and vac-form production and provides the power sports, industrial, automotive aftermarket, and lawn and garden industry with leading-edge services and products.

Walgreens Expanding Near Anderson

The drug store chain has announced plans to construct a $150 million distribution center near Anderson, SC. The 700,000-square-foot facility will create 450 new jobs when it opens in 2007. The center will serve all the stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, and parts of Virginia, Louisiana and Tennessee. Company officials report the project is part of Walgreens' plan to expand retail operations in the Southeast.

Electrolux Builds Technology Center in Anderson

Electrolux Home Products is investing $6 million to build an 85,000 square-foot advanced technology center that will open in October 2004. The center will be located next to the company's plant in Anderson and will employ 100 workers. Electrolux will use the facility to develop refrigeration technology.

Plastics Recycler Relocates to Lancaster County
Wellman Inc., a packaging manufacturer and plastics recycler, has relocated from North Carolina to South Carolina. The company will move its 130 employees in a transaction valued at $4 million. Wellman will occupy a 39,000 square-foot building in the Corporate Center Park in Lancaster County.

Tennessee

Clarcor Relocating Headquarters to Nashville

Clarcor Inc., a Rockford, Ill.-based maker of industrial environmental filtration products, plans to move its corporate headquarters to Nashville sometime during the first half of 2004. The company will employ 75 administrative staff there.

Integra-Seal Relocates to Kingsport

Integra-Seal Industries LLC has relocated its operations to a 30,000 square-foot plant and headquarters in Kingsport. The company invested $1.5 million to install mold and injection molding lines to the facility. Company officials said Integra moved because it wants to expand its production of tamper-evident caps and seals. The plant will employ 85 workers within the next five years.

Multi-Media Manufacturer Expands in Nashville

Cinram International, Inc., a provider of pre-recorded multimedia products and logistic services, which operates facilities throughout North America and Europe, has leased the 518,000 square-foot La Vergne Distribution Center for a regional manufacturing and distribution hub. The company expects to bring 500-600 jobs to the Nashville. Cinram manufactures and distributes pre-recorded DVDs, VHS videocassettes, audio CDs, music cassettes, and CD-ROMs for motion picture studios, music labels, publishers, and computer software companies throughout the world.

Brother Expands near Memphis

Brother International Corp. is making a 500,000 square-foot expansion to its Bartlett distribution center that will create between 40-50 new warehouse jobs. The $15 million expansion to the 1.1 million square-foot Jupiter Technology & Distribution Center is scheduled to be completed in December 2004.

Cabinet Maker Expands in Tennessee

Waterloo, Iowa-based Omega Cabinetry Ltd. has taken over the Clinton, Tenn. factory operated by HomeCrest Cabinetry. Company officials said they would convert it into a southeast regional headquarters that will employ about 600 people. Both Omega and HomeCrest are divisions of MasterBrand Cabinets. Omega plans to add a 100,000 square-foot addition to the existing 200,000 square-foot factory. State and regional economic development officials put together a $3 million package of incentives to help seal the deal.

Three Local Industries to Expand in Clarksville

Three local industries in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area have announced expansion plans that may total up to $26.5 million in capital and 280 new jobs in the next three years. The expanding companies include: Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems plans to continue a five-year $9 million expansion. SPX Contech plans to continue an expansion through 2004 with an additional $2-$4.5 million in capital and adding 40 new jobs this year. U.S. Zinc Metal plans to expand its facility by 13,000 square feet.

Texas

Augrid Relocates to Houston

Augrid Corp. has relocated its corporate offices from Cleveland to Houston to take advantage of Houston's thriving economy, the technology company said. Augrid Corporation and its subsidiaries, Alysium Corporation and Optipure, LLC, are technology-based organizations, specializing in the manufacturing, distribution, and development of electronic and display devices, thermocouples, silicon carbide tools and nano particle technology.

Maxim Expands in San Antonio

Integrated circuits manufacturer Maxim Integrated Products plans to purchase of Philips Semiconductors wafer fabrication facility. The $40 million acquisition includes Philips' 178-acre campus with approximately 380,000 square feet of buildings.

Brach's Moves Headquarters to Dallas

Brach's Confections Inc. is moving its executive office to Dallas from Woodridge, Ill. Thirty-eight of the company's 50 employees at that location will be transferred to Dallas, and about 14 will be hired locally. Brach's also operates an administrative office in Chattanooga, Tenn. The move to Dallas will help consolidate some operations that were split between the Chattanooga and Woodridge locations.

Fabric Wholesaler Relocates in Dallas Region

Haber Fabrics Corp. is relocating from Irving, Texas to nearby Carrolton. The company expects to add 100 employees to its workforce over the next two years. Haber signed a signed a long-term deal for a 300,000 square-foot facility formerly occupied by Exel Logistics. About 300 existing workers will begin moving to the new space in March. The company currently occupies three buildings in Irving.

Nail Company Expands in Hillsboro

Mid Continent Nail, a company that produces nails for pneumatic tools, is planning to purchase a 62,000 square-foot facility for a new manufacturing plant in Hillsboro. The company will hire 100 employees and spend about $3 million to buy and refurbish the building.

Medical Firm Expands in Irving

Eagan, Minn.-based Prime Therapeutics Inc., a pharmaceutical benefits management company, is launching a new fulfillment operation in Irving. The company has leased an 80,000 square-foot building and will begin processing orders April 1. The expansion will create 265 jobs.

Virginia

Steamship Line Plans North American HQ in Norfolk

CMA-CGM, a leading worldwide container shipping company based in France, is planning to build its North American headquarters in Norfolk. The company will invest $11.5 million in the project, which will create 116 new jobs. CMA-CGM also has plans to relocate its Virginia Beach facility to the new headquarters, a move that will bring an additional 260 jobs to the area.

Plastics Manufacturer Expands in Altavista

Rage Corporation, a plastics manufacturer, will locate a new facility in Campbell County's Town of Altavista. Through a $2-million investment, the company will create 25 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed with Ohio for the project. Rage Corporation is a custom injection molding business formed in 1968.

Celanese Expands R&D Capacity in Giles County

Celanese Acetate LLC will expand its research and development capacity in Giles County. The expansion will create 55 new jobs at its existing Narrows facility, which currently employs more than 1,000 people. The new jobs include skilled positions such as chemists, engineers and technicians with higher-than-average salaries for the county. Celanese Acetate is the world's largest acetate producer, supplying acetate for markets including women and men's apparel, linings, home fashions, and various industrial end uses. The company is a business of Celanese AG.

Milk Processor Expands in Frederick County

HP Hood Inc. will expand its milk processing facility in Frederick County. Through a $42.8 million investment, the company will increase its capacity for existing products and enable the production of new, technologically-advanced products. The expansion will create 65 new jobs in a variety of skilled labor positions. Virginia successfully competed with locations further north and west for the project. Headquartered in Chelsea, Massachusetts, HP Hood is one of the largest branded dairy operators in the United States with annual sales of approximately $1 billion.

Glass Manufacturer Expands in Galax

Guardian Industries Corp., a manufacturer of glass products, will expand its operations in the City of Galax. Through a $2.5 million investment in building improvements and equipment, the company will add an additional product line called laminated glass, which is mainly used in window applications for safety, sound control, and ultraviolet protection products. Guardian's expansion will create 54 new jobs over the next 30 months.

Cabinet Manufacturer Expands in Henry County

MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc., the second-largest cabinet manufacturer in North America, will locate a manufacturing facility in Henry County. Through the company's anticipated multi-million dollar investment in real estate and equipment, the new facility is expected to create more than 700 new jobs over the next seven years. The project is subject to final approval by the company's Board of Directors. MasterBrand Cabinets plans to acquire and expand the former 5B's building in Henry County. The project is the largest economic development announcement in Southside Virginia in more than 30 years. MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc. is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Fortune Brands, the consumer products company behind leading brands such as Moen, Titleist, Jim Beam, and Master Lock.

Kollmorgen to Create 71 Jobs in Radford

Kollmorgen Corporation, a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation, will expand its operations in the City of Radford. Through a $2.85 million investment, the company will establish a customer-support center to service its worldwide customer base. The company is a leading international manufacturer of high-performance motion control products and systems.

Global Contact Services Lands in Pulaski

Global Contact Services, LLC (GCS) will locate a customer contact center in Pulaski. Through a $1.35 million investment, GSC will create more than 300 new jobs in the former Advanced Health Services Building. GCS is a premier provider of multi-channel customer contact management solutions for companies in the insurance, financial, telecommunications, retail, and government industries. The company's main headquarters is in Salisbury, N.C., with operational headquarters in Mount Hope, W.V.

Wachovia Expands in Greater Richmond

Wachovia Securities LLC will expand its Virginia-based headquarters. Through more than an $8.3 million investment, the company will ultimately create more than 1,000 new jobs in the Greater Richmond Region. The expansion is the result of the July 2003 combination of Wachovia Securities and Prudential Securities. The two-tiered economic development project will allow Wachovia Securities to add up to 470 new jobs and invest $5.9 million in its operations in the City of Richmond. In Henrico County, the company will bring up to 730 new jobs and a $2.4 million investment.

WaveLight Chooses Loudon County for U.S. Headquarters

WaveLight Laser Technologie AG of Erlangen, Germany has selected Loudoun County for its U.S. headquarters. Through a $5 million investment, the company will create 30 new jobs. The company develops, produces and markets laser systems in the fields of ophthalmology, aesthetic surgery, urology, and industrial applications.

Plastic Tube Maker Expands in Danville

Essel Propack America LLC will invest $10.4 million to expand the company's existing operations in the City of Danville. The project will create 50 new, full-time jobs over 12 months, with higher-than-average salaries for the city. Virginia successfully competed with Mexico for the project. In July 2002, Essel Propack announced its decision to locate the company's first U.S. manufacturing facility in Danville's Airside Industrial Park. The facility manufactures and supplies toothpaste tubes to Procter & Gamble's Greensboro, N.C. plant. In just over a year of operation, Essel Propack has invested more than $21 million and created 87 jobs in the City of Danville. Headquartered in Bombay, India, EsselPropack Ltd. is the world's largest laminated and plastic tube manufacturer.

Lumber Company Expand in Wythe County

Musser Lumber Sales, Inc. will expand its existing operations in Wythe County. Through a $3 million investment, the company will create approximately 45 new jobs over three years. The expansion will allow Musser Lumber Sales to construct a gas-fired wood kiln, additional storage and production facilities, and a retail outlet. The company will also expand its production line to include value-added mouldings and flooring.

IT Service Firm Selects Martinsville

MZM, Inc. has selected the City of Martinsville's Clearview Shell Building for a database and information technology operation. Through a $4.4 million investment, the project will create 150 new jobs over three years, with an average annual salary more than double Martinsville's prevailing wages. Virginia successfully competed with Washington, D.C. for the project. The company will purchase Martinsville's Clearview Shell Building in order to complete a database and information technology contract for the U.S. Army National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC) in Charlottesville. This new facility will conduct research and build databases on foreign-made products and services that the federal government purchases. MZM plans to hire 25 new employees in year one, 50 new employees in year two, and 75 additional employees in year three. All of the positions will require a security clearance. MZM, Inc. is a Washington, D.C.-based company that provides information technology services to the federal defense and intelligence community.

Globaltex Locates U.S. Operations in Henry County

Globaltex Inc. will locate its U.S. textile manufacturing operations in Henry County. The project will create 154 new jobs in three years. Through a $5.2 million investment, Globaltex plans to purchase a 77,000 square-foot facility previously occupied by VF.

AES to Expand Arlington County Headquarters

AES Corporation, a Fortune 500 independent power company, selected Arlington County as the location for its global corporate headquarters. The new facility will create space for 115 jobs that AES will add. Through a $5 million investment, AES will build a new corporate headquarters to accommodate growth.

West Virginia

American Woodmark Expanding in West Virginia

A kitchen cabinet manufacturer is building its third manufacturing facility in Hardy County. American Woodmark started construction on a 250,000 square-foot plant that will eventually create 300 jobs. The company has invested $27 million in the project and plans to open its doors in June 2004. American Woodmark chose the 40-acre site because it offered room to expand in the future, according to company officials.

ProSystems Expands in Bardane

ProSystems, which manufactures retroreflectors used in space science, target and alignment systems, laser tracking and satellite communications, relocated from Maryland to West Virginia earlier this year. In a $500,000 investment, the company plans to move from its existing facility in the Bardane Industrial Park to a 1.3-acre site in the adjacent Burr Industrial Park and grow from 14 employees to 30 by 2005.

Up to 100 New Jobs in Charleston

beBetter Networks Inc. announced that it would locate in Charleston and create up to 100 new jobs averaging $45,000 in yearly salaries. Using high-tech delivery systems, the company provides behavior management employee assistance services as well as coaching for managers and employees to a variety of organizations.

Multi-State

Dollar General Plans Major Expansion

Discount retailer Dollar General Corp. announced plans to expand its U.S. distribution network to accommodate the hundreds of new stores it plans to add by 2006. The company is already expanding its distribution facilities in Ardmore, Okla., and South Boston, Va., and plans to begin expanding its Indianola, Miss., facility next year. Dollar General has also announced plans to open a new distribution facility in the Southeast in 2005, and another in 2006.