Biotech Bonanza

In May, state officials added a third key biotech project to its portfolio when Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals announced a major expansion of its pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing plant in Petersburg, just south of Richmond. The project could reach $260 million in capital investment by 2011 and could add as many as 165 new jobs.
        "The expansion involves several phases, but the bulk of it will be a new production facility – this project is driven by a need for more capacity," says John R. Wilson, Jr., vice president, quality management, regulatory affairs and human resources. The existing plant has been in operation since 1978 and is the company's only U.S. plant.
        "The primary reason for expanding capacity here in Petersburg has to do with work-force availability and the relationship with the commonwealth. It was a competitive situation with Shanghai and Singapore," says Wilson. "But at the end of the day, though those governments offer great incentives, expanding the site here won out. We're already here, but more important is the availability of a qualified work force, which is critical for us."

See the SITES Virginia Economic Development Partnership www.YesVirginia.org Greater Richmond Partnership www.grpva.com National Institute of Aerospace www.nianet.org

        Other key biotech projects in Virginia include the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's $500-million biomedical science center in Loudoun County and Eli Lilly's $425-million insulin-manufacturing plant in Prince William County, a Site Selection Top Deal of 2002 (see the May 2003 issue).
        Capital city Richmond is the beneficiary of three headquarters announcements made in 2003. Philip Morris USA is relocating its corporate headquarters from New York City to the Richmond area. James River Insurance Co., a start-up company, is basing itself in Henrico County with several dozen employees initially. And homegrown phenomenon CarMax is staying in the metro to build a new 435,000-sq.-ft. (40,412-sq.-m.) headquarters at the 3,500-acre (1,417-hectare) West Creek Business Park in Goochland County.