Virginia's Gateway Region is home to a strong chemical industry - supported by extensive infrastructure - that forms the basis of an impressive advanced materials cluster. The advanced materials and specialty chemical companies located in the Gateway Region are truly industry leaders in development, application and manufacturing. Industry giants DuPont Co., Evonik-Degussa Corp. and Honeywell International have long chosen to call the Gateway Region home. They are but three of the 60 plus advanced material firms with growing operations in the region.
 
Core Industries:

• Coating, engraving, heat treating and allied activities
• Paint, coating and adhesive manufacturing
• Resin, synthetic rubber and artificial and synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing
• Basic chemical manufacturing
• Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing
• Rubber product manufacturing
• Pesticide, fertilizer and other agricultural chemical manufacturing
• Other nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing
• Soap, cleaning compound and toilet preparation manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Petroleum and coal products manufacturing
• Clay product and refractory manufacturing

 
Supplier Industries:

• Basic chemical manufacturing
• Wholesale trade
• Management of companies and enterprises
• Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
• Truck transportation
• Architectural, engineering and related services
• Resin, synthetic rubber and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing
• Automotive repair and maintenance
• Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing

 
Customer Industries:

• Basic chemical manufacturing
• Resin, synthetic rubber and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing
• Pulp, paper and paperboard mills
• Converted paper product manufacturing
• Soap, cleaning compound and toilet preparation manufacturing
• Hospitals
• Truck transportation
• Printing and related support activities

 
Top Ten Companies:
E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Allied Signal, Inc., Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Aqualon Company, Tindall Concrete, Production, Inc., Evonik-Degussa Corp., Mechanicsville Concrete Inc., Spec-Trim Manufacturing Co., Inc., Sun Chemical Corp., Eternal Technology Corp.

Expansion Management ranked the Richmond-Petersburg MSA as the best place for distribution in the state and the 8th best in the country. Served by impressive transportation access through such resources as our superhighway system and rail to port shipping lines, the Gateway Region is a natural location for successful warehouse and distribution operations. Internationally known corporations such as Ace Hardware, Food Lion and Wal-Mart stores all have established mid-Atlantic distribution centers here.
 
Core Industries:

• General freight trucking
• Other support activities for transportation
• Support activities for transportation
• Local messengers and local delivery
• Support activities for air transportation
• Support activities for water transportation
• Scenic and sightseeing transportation, other
• Warehousing and storage
• Support activities for road transportation
• Couriers
• Freight transportation arrangement
• Specialized freight trucking
• Automotive equipment rental and leasing
• Scenic and sightseeing transportation, water
• Scenic and sightseeing transportation, land

 
Supplier Industries:

• Truck transportation
• Automotive repair and maintenance
• Wholesale trade
• Warehousing and storage
• Real estate
• Activities related to credit intermediation
• Insurance carriers
• Travel arrangement and reservation
• Telecommunications

 
Customer Industries:

• Truck transportation
• Basic chemical manufacturing
• Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Tobacco manufacturing
• Wholesale trade
• Couriers and messengers
• New residential 1-unit structures, nonfarm
• Alumina and aluminum production and processing

 
Top Ten Companies:
United Parcel Service, Inc., Wal-Mart Associates, Inc., Food Lion, LLC, Standard Motor Products, Inc., Grayson Mitchell, Inc., DSC Logistics, Inc., Abilene Motor Express, Inc., R & L Carriers Shared Services, LLC, American Freightways, Inc., Genuine Parts Company

With 500 firms, the finance and insurance industry is one of the largest in Virginia's Gateway Region. Regional projections show high growth across the industry and especially in credit intermediation; securities and commodity contracts/exchanges; other financial investment activities; insurance and employee benefit funds; other investment pools and funds; and lessors of nonfinancial intangible assets. The region's labor force draw, proximity to the Richmond Federal Reserve, strong infrastructure and excellent quality of life are just part of why established firms, young guns and industry mavericks choose to locate in Virginia's Gateway Region.
 
Core Industries:

• Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities
• Nondepository credit intermediation
• Activities related to credit intermediation
• Other investment pools and funds
• Insurance and employee benefit funds
• Insurance carriers
• Other financial investment activities
• Monetary authorities - central bank
• Securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage
• Depository credit intermediation
• Lessors of nonfinancial intangible assets (except copyrighted works)
• Securities and commodity exchanges
• *Industry and occupational listings are based on regional presence, except for industries in italics, which pertain to the national industry cluster

 
Supplier Industries:

• Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities
• Insurance carriers
• Securities, commodity contracts, investments
• Real estate
• Activities related to credit intermediation
• Telecommunications
• Management of companies and enterprises
• Monetary authorities - central bank
• Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles

 
Customer Industries:

• Insurance carriers
• Truck transportation
• Real estate
• Wholesale trade
• Tobacco manufacturing
• Basic chemical manufacturing
• Couriers and messengers
• Monetary authorities - central bank
• Food services and drinking places

 
Top Ten Companies:
Capital One Service, Inc., Land America Financial Group, Travelers Indemnity Co., Advance America Cash Advance Centers, Inc., Branch Banking & Trust Co., Wachovia Bank, Trailblazer Health Enterprises, LLC, Sentry Insurance a Mutual Company, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company

Virginia's Gateway Region has a strong manufacturing heritage. The region's expansive infrastructure, ethical workforce and low tax-rates are just a few of the many reasons why more than 50 machinery and equipment manufacturing companies chose to operate in the Gateway Region. Companies operating in the region, such as Hill Phoenix and BRENCO, are some of the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry's most innovative leaders, raising the bar with their high quality control standards and efficient operations.
 
Core Industries:

• Other fabricated metal product manufacturing
• Navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing
• Motor vehicle parts manufacturing
• Other general purpose machinery manufacturing
• Electric lighting equipment manufacturing
• Agriculture, construction and mining machinery manufacturing
• Commercial and service industry machinery manufacturing
• HVAC and commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturing
• Electrical equipment manufacturing
• Industry machinery manufacturing
• Cutlery and handtool manufacturing
• Coating, engraving, heat treating and allied activities
• *Industry and occupational listings are based on regional presence, except for industries in italics, which pertain to the national industry cluster

 
Supplier Industries:

• Wholesale trade
• Management of companies and enterprises
• Truck transportation
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Converted paper product manufacturing
• Machinery shops turned product and screw, nut and bolt manufacturing
• Automotive repair and maintenance
• Engine, turbine and power transmission equipment manufacturing
• Other professional, scientific and technical services
• Telecommunications

 
Customer Industries:

• Automotive repair and maintenance
• New residential 1-unit structures, nonfarm
• Basic chemical manufacturing
• HVAC and commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturing
• Engine, turbine and power transmission equipment manufacturing
• Commercial and institutional buildings
• Resin, synthetic rubber and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing
• Other new construction
• Other general purpose machinery manufacturing
• New residential additions and alterations, nonfarm

 
Top Companies:
Hill PHOENIX, Inc., BRENCO, Inc., Beach Mold & Tool of Virginia, Inc., GD Package Machinery, Inc., Blueprint Automation, Inc., Tubular Fabricators Industry, Inc., Geith, Inc., KC Automation, Inc., Anderson Machine Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Numerous metal-related companies have expanded recently in the region and are supported by an extensive metal-working infrastructure. Long-standing resident companies, such as Alstom Power, Inc., and Capital City Iron Works, Inc., as well as newer corporate citizens such as Chaparral Steel and Service Center Metals, provide testimony to the viability of metal-related companies in the area.

Core Industries:

• Boiler, tank and shipping container manufacturing
• Iron and steel mills and ferroalloy manufacturing
• Foundries
• Nonferrous metal (except aluminum) production and processing
• Metalworking machinery manufacturing
• Architectural and structural metals manufacturing
• Machine stops turned product and screw, nut and bolt manufacturing
• Steel product manufacturing from purchased steel
• Forging and stamping
• Spring and wire product manufacturing
• *Industry and occupational listings are based on regional presence, except for industries in italics, which pertain to the national industry cluster

 
Supplier Industries:

• Wholesale trade
• Truck transportation
• Management of companies and enterprises
• Automotive repair and maintenance
• Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
• Machine shops; turned product; and screw, nut and bolt manufacturing
• Iron and steel mills and ferroalloy manufacturing
• Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing
• Other professional, scientific and technical services
• Real estate

 
Customer Industries:

• Ventialation, heating, air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturing
• Engine, turbine and power transmission equipment manufacturing
• Basic chemical manufacturing
• Tobacco manufacturing
• Resin, synthetic rubber and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Architectural and structural metals manufacturing
• Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
• Converted paper product manufacturing
• New residential 1-unit structures, nonfarm

 
Top Ten Companies:
Gerdau Ameristeel Corp., Stamp Tech, Inc., Emporia Foundry Incorporated, Manchester Tank & Equipment, Inc., Hoover & Strong, Inc., Metl-Span I, LTD, Watson Metal Products, Inc., Short Run Stamping of Virginia, Inc., Adamson Global Technology Corporation, SteelFab of Virginia, Inc.

For wood products and furniture manufacturing companies, operations in Virginia's Gateway Region just make sense. The region provides unbeatable access to people, places and resources with an expansive transportation infrastructure, a manufacturing friendly environment and much more. The industry cluster is currently led by sawmills and wood preservation industries; veneer, plywood, and engineered wood product manufacturing; other wood product manufacturing industries; and household/institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing industries. Industry giants, such as Georgia Pacific, and home grown forces, such as the Builder's Supply Company of Petersburg, all serve as testaments to the position and promise of the wood products and furniture manufacturing industry in Virginia's Gateway Region.
 
Core Industries:

• Sawmills and wood preservation
• Other wood product manufacturing
• Veneer, plywood and engineered wood product manufacturing
• Household and institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing
• Industry and occupational listings are based on regional presence, except for industries in italics, which pertain to the national industry cluster

 
Supplier Industries:

• Veneer, plywood and engineered wood product manufacturing
• Sawmills and wood preservation
• Logging
• Wholesale trade
• Truck transportation
• Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
• Automotive repair and maintenance
• Other wood product manufacturing
• Management of companies and enterprises
• Other professional, scientific and technical services

 
Customer Industries:

• Veneer, plywood and engineered wood product manufacturing
• New residential 1-unit structures, nonfarm
• New residential additions and alterations, nonfarm
• Commercial and institutional buildings
• Pulp, paper and paperboard mills
• Other wood product manufacturing
• Maintenance and repair of farm and nonfarm residential structures
• Sawmills and wood preservation
• Office furniture (including fixtures) manufacturing

 
Top Ten Companies:
Georgia Pacific Corp., Builder's Supply Company of Petersburg, Inc., Grind-All LLCC, Seward Lumber Company, Inc., Charles A. Shaylor, Bernhardt & Taylor, Inc., Conner Industries, Inc., EH Lail Millwork, Inc., JE Moore Lumber Company, Inc., Hopewell Hardwood Sales, Inc.