Mack Trucks will invest $14.5 million to expand its Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) manufacturing facility in Virginia. The company will increase the current manufacturing facility by 72,000 square feet to prepare the plant for higher demand for its Mack® MD Series and Mack MD Electric vehicles. The project will create 51 jobs.
Mack Trucks is part of Swedish-based Volvo Group and one of North America’s leading producers of heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks.
“Mack is committed to making the industrial and product investments we need to be a North American market leader,” said Stephen Roy, global president of Mack Trucks. “The expansion of the Roanoke Valley operations plant will help us grow in a strategic market segment and support our sustainability goals.”
All Mack medium-duty models are produced at RVO. Mack launched the diesel-powered Mack MD Series in 2020 and launched the Mack MD Electric in March 2023. Adding the new model to the product lineup increased the need for more space at the facility.
The construction project — which will increase the size of the current facility to 352,000 square feet — will begin April 2024. It’s expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with Roanoke County Economic Development and the Roanoke Regional Partnership to secure the project. VEDP will provide a $255,000 Opportunity Fund grant and Roanoke County has offered a package of incentives totaling $842,420. The Virginia Jobs Investment Program will support employee training activities, and Mack is eligible to receive state benefits from the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new full-time jobs created as a result of the project.
“Mack Trucks’ expansion further strengthens Virginia’s manufacturing industry ecosystem, which is a core focus of the Commonwealth’s economic development strategy,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We are proud that Mack Trucks’ initial investment in a new Roanoke County operation four years ago has yielded a second major investment. This is truly another vote of confidence in Virginia by a global industry leader.”
“We are proud to support Mack Trucks’ continued growth in the Roanoke Region,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “The Volvo Group and Mack are shaping the future of transportation sustainability and recognize that Virginia’s best-in-class business climate, workforce, and logistics infrastructure are drivers for success.”
“We were thrilled to embrace the arrival of Mack Trucks in Roanoke County four years ago and are further delighted to celebrate this expansion initiative today,” said Phil North, chair of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. “Their continued commitment to investing in our community not only bolsters our local economy but also underscores the growth potential of our region. I’m grateful for the exceptional efforts of our Economic Development team, led by Megan Baker, whose dedication brought this project to reality.”
“Congratulations to Mack Trucks on this impressive expansion,” said John Hull, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “This impactful project further develops the region’s rich automotive manufacturing cluster, which benefits from a supportive workforce development system as well as geographic advantages relative to customers and the overall automotive industry.”
Virginia Communities Receive Grants To Restore Brownfield Sites
Earlier this month, six localities were awarded $1.76 million in Site Remediation Grants from the Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF). Recipients include the City of Danville Industrial Development Authority (IDA), the Town of Floyd, the City of Martinsville, Orange County, the Orange County Economic Development Authority, and the Town of Pound.
The VBAF provides either grants or loans to local governments to restore and redevelop brownfield sites and address environmental problems or obstacles to their reuse in an effort to effectively attract new economic development prospects. Administered by the Virginia Resources Authority, the VBAF is a partnership between the VEDP and the Department of Environmental Quality.
FY 2024 VBAF Awards
“Ensuring project-ready sites in every region increases Virginia’s overall competitiveness and prosperity, and VBAF paves a path for economic opportunity in rural communities across the Commonwealth,” said Merrick. “We applaud each of the localities for their commitment to economic development and look forward to the redevelopment of these brownfield sites.”
Solenis, Port Of Virginia Make Progress
Solenis plans to build an 80,000-square-foot production facility, packaging facility, and tank farm in Suffolk, Virginia. Read more…
Solenis, Port Of Virginia Make Progress“Rehabilitating brownfields is an excellent example of how environmental cleanup can go hand in hand with economic development, resulting in improvements for the community and for the Commonwealth,” said Travis A. Voyles, Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources.
Brownfields are properties in which redevelopment or reuse is complicated by the presence of hazardous materials, pollution, or contaminants. Site Remediation Grants cover remediation of a contaminated property to remove hazardous substances and wastes, demolition and removal of existing structures, and other site work necessary to make a site or property usable for new economic development. In addition to Site Remediation Grants, Site Assessment Grants are available to communities for assistance with environmental and cultural resource site assessments and the development of remediation and reuse plans. Since its inception in 2011, the VBAF has awarded over $17.5 million in over 250 grants to restore brownfield sites.
