A Virginia legislative panel has approved a state incentive package to bring a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant to Lynchburg.

New innovation in the New River Valley is improving how metal is manufactured.

Governor Youngkin announced Wednesday that Germany-based Zollner Elektronik AG will invest a combined $18 million to expand in Virginia, creating 100 jobs.

If you’re driving through the Salem area, you may have noticed something going on at the old General Electric property.

The whirring of machines and clanging of metal is sparking new life in Appomattox.

BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – A Lynchburg company is expanding by investing more jobs and millions of dollars into Bedford County. Belvac plans on devoting about $3 million and 50 jobs to the region over the next five years. The can-making and printing company is expanding into a 40,000 square foot building at the New London Business and Technology Center. Jim Messier, chairman of the Bedford County Economic Development Authority, sees the opportunity as a way of increasing jobs during the pandemic. The company plans to start interior construction later this month and begin its operations this summer.

The Institute for Supply Management, an association of purchasing managers, said Monday that its manufacturing index rose to 54.2 last month, up from a June reading of 52.6. The index dipped below 50 in March, indicating a recession in manufacturing as the coronavirus pandemic shut down factories. Timothy Fiore, chair of the ISM manufacturing survey committee, said it was encouraging that positive comments from survey participants were running two to one ahead of more cautious comments. Of 18 manufacturing industries, 13 reported growth in July led by wood products and furniture and related products. We expect manufacturing to grow gradually ahead with botched management of the pandemic and ongoing virus-related uncertain set to constrain activity.