COLLINSVILLE, Va. – A chemical company that has called Henry County home for more than five years has announced a $7.7 million expansion.
Eastman Chemical Company announced Wednesday that it will expand its manufacturing presence in southwest Virginia.
Jim Adams, chairman of the Henry County Board of Supervisors, announced the expansion at a news conference Wednesday.
“Eastman entered our community in 2013, and it has been an employer of choice ever since,” Adams said. “We are blessed to have Eastman here and we look forward to even more growth in the future."
Company officials this move will allow the company to keep up with growing demand.
The company will add production space at its Patriot Centre facilities and warehouse functions will move into the former Stanley Furniture facility in Bowles Park, which is next to the Patriot Centre.
Eastman currently employs 776 people in Henry County.
Leaders say that while this move will not immediately add positions, company and local officials are confident that job growth is possible in the future.
“Our continued investments further solidify Eastman’s commitment to the window and paint protection films markets and to making our manufacturing site in Henry County a state-of-the-art facility that produces the world’s highest quality films products," said Travis Smith, vice president and general manager of Eastman’s Performance Films business.
The Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation worked with Eastman and Henry County on the expansion.
The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program as well as local EZ benefits from Henry County.
Henry County will contribute a $200,000 grant to Eastman to assist with site development. The grant money is being provided to Henry County by the Harvest Foundation as part of the foundation’s recently announced incentive pool funding program.