Suffolk, Va. – Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that Friant and Associates, a manufacturer of custom office furniture, will invest $17.4 million to establish its first Virginia operation at the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in the City of Suffolk.
The project will create 166 new jobs, officials tell NewsChannel 3.
Governor McAuliffe says, “It is a great honor to welcome Friant and Associates’ first Virginia manufacturing operation to the City of Suffolk and add this established company to our corporate roster. The addition of 166 new jobs in advanced furniture manufacturing will help diversify the industrial base in Suffolk, and is another step forward in creating a New Virginia Economy with skilled workers of the 21st century. The unrivaled global access provided by the nearby Port of Virginia was a major factor in winning this tremendous project, and Friant and Associates will also be able to capitalize on Virginia’s outstanding business climate and our world class workforce.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Suffolk, the Port of Virginia, and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance to secure the project for Virginia.
Governor McAuliffe approved a $200,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Suffolk with the project. The company will receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
