The Halifax County Industrial Development Authority kicked off a busy week focused on economic development opportunities by unveiling the National Center for Coatings Application, Research, and Education (C-CARE) Monday at Riverstone Technology Center.
C-CARE, housed in 12,000 square feet of environmentally controlled space, has been more than two years in the making and represents a collaboration between the Halifax IDA, the Riverstone Energy Center and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center.
It has been made possible by funding from the Virginia Tobacco Commission, the Halifax County Board of Supervisors and in-kind contributions of equipment by a network of business partners.
In opening remarks at the dedication ceremony, IDA Chairman John Cannon credited the Tobacco Commission with funding the center to the tune of some $20 million. Cannon thanked Ed Owens, chairman of the commission's Southside Economic Development Committee and State Senator Franak Ruff for their support of the project, and remarked that the commitment demonstrates the Tobacco Commission's leadership in revitalizing the economy of southern Virginia. He also praised the commission for its backing of the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center's Innovation Center.
Cannon pointed out that each of these assets is designed to make the community a true "one-stop" center for advanced manufacturing and education of the workforce for the 21st century. With the Modeling and Simulation Center of Excellence and C-CARE, both housed in Riverstone under the direction of Dr. Doug Corrigan, and the R&D Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Energy Efficiency, located just three miles away at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center under the direction of Dr. Betty Adams, Halifax County offers the research and production synergies required to spur growth of advanced manufacturing, said Cannon.
"After years of researching the needs of 21st century jobs, and the visionary leadership of these three organizations, we have put in place what we feel will be the best path to meet the current and future demands for education and engineering in advanced manufacturing," Cannon told those gathered at the C-CARE unveiling.
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Mary Rea Carter, representing Governor Bob McDonnell, said the center will serve to attract new manufacturing companies and will benefit the entire region. She added that it will also serve as a valuable work force training site.
Also speaking at the Monday morning event was David Lohr, President and Director of the Commonwealth Center of Advanced Manufacturing in Prince George County. He cited Virginia's low-cost labor and its research capabilities, which together serve to make the state a world leader in attracting new manufacturers.
Cannon compared the local effort with that of Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, NC where their vision has paid off handsomely. "We, too, are realizing the fruits of our vision," he said noting that an idea from the design conceptualization in the R&D Center then passes for validation to engineering with the Modeling and Simulation assets and then on to advanced manufacturing using the modern CAD/CAM equipment with the most up-to-date software available.
"We also have in place the most important asset, which is the strong, human capital on the applied side, all the way through the employees of the C-CARE side in the Coatings Center which is the final touch for all manufacturing with the bottom line being job creation."
For more on this week's events see Section C of today's paper.
The John Randolph Hotel redevelopment project received another boost this week when Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a round of Industrial Revitalization Fund grants.
