YesVirginia Business Blog

It’s not unusual for companies to recognize their customers at milestone celebrations.

It’s not even that atypical to give customers some podium time.

But when the customer is the United States Marine Corps, and they arrive at a Rolls-Royce North America event in a Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, a multi-mission, military tiltrotor aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, that’s a bit out of the ordinary.

Not one—but two—40,000-pound V-22s appeared from out of nowhere this morning to usher in construction of Rolls-Royce North America’s first U.S. built-from-the-ground-up manufacturing facility in Prince George County, Virginia. Located on more than 1,000 acres, Crosspointe is the company’s largest site by area in North America, where Rolls-Royce will manufacture, assemble and test a range of aerospace components and products. Initial Rolls-Royce investment is $170 million, with a project total anticipated to be about $500 million. The first phase of work will create about 140 jobs, and Rolls-Royce expects to hire a total of 500 workers before all is said and done. The project was announced in November 2007.

Instead of the typical shovel-piercing-ground ceremony, Rolls-Royce North America CEO Jim Guyette and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine hoisted two flags—one bearing the Rolls-Royce logo and the other symbolizing the Commonwealth of Virginia—with help from none other than the Marines themselves.

LiteSteel Technologies America, Canon, Optical Cable Corporation, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding and GE Energy were recently showcased in IndustryWeek as the definition of advanced manufacturing.

LiteSteel was touted for its globality and Canon for its sustainability. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding was highlighted for its successful supply chain network and Optical Cable Corporation for customization. GE Energy received high marks for leading-edge technology.

Had they paid for that horn-tooting ink in the form of an advertisement it a) would not have had the credibility of a third-party validator such as IndustryWeek behind it and b) would have cost upward of $10,000. Instead, these companies in June gave an hour of their time, some refreshments and a few chotchkies bearing their brand. In return, they received positive coverage in one of the most powerful business-to-business media venues out there thanks to their participation in the Virginia Advanced Manufacturing Media Tour, hosted by VEDP. 

VEDP coordinates two media tours annually to bring awareness to industries that are experiencing success across Virginia.  While the chief objective of the tour is to promote Virginia as an ideal business location, we also manage to snag a positive headline here and there for participating companies.

Media tours are just one of many ways VEDP works to nurture Virginia’s relationship with its corporate community. A company’s partnership with the Commonwealth doesn’t end when the shovel pierces the Earth. It’s only just beginning. To learn more about partnering with Virginia, visit www.YesVirginia.org.