PRUFREX Innovative Power Products GmbH announced plans to establish its first U.S. location in Virginia Beach through a $7.33 million investment, which will create 60 new jobs. The project includes both a manufacturing facility as well as the company’s U.S. headquarters.

PRUFREX is a leading producer of digital ignition systems and electronic control systems for the small engine, marine and recreation, automotive, and electric and cordless power markets. The company’s global headquarters are in Cadolzburg, Germany.

The benefits of supply chain for economic development are apparent in this project—PRUFREX selected Virginia Beach over Georgia to be closer to two key customers, German-based BMZ Batteries and STIHL Inc.

STIHL opened its first U.S. plant in Virginia Beach in 1974, and has since grown to become the No. 1 brand of chain saws in the world. The company’s U.S. headquarters are now located in Virginia Beach, and since 1990 the company has announced investment of $335 million and 942 new jobs in the Commonwealth.

BMZ Batteries followed in April 2011, also establishing its U.S. headquarters in Virginia Beach to be close to STIHL and its other international customers. 

Germany has been in the top three for international investment and job creation in the Commonwealth over the last four years.

PRUFREX, BMZ Batteries and STIHL have all made reference to the quality of Virginia’s workforce, particularly its engineering and advanced manufacturing capabilities, as well as the Commonwealth’s strategic East location and ability to easily reach U.S. customers through its premier logistics infrastructure.

Virginia’s transportation network includes access to the international Port of Virginia, the only U.S. East Coast location able to handle post-Panamax vessels as first port of call, as well as an integrated system of six interstate highways, nine commercial airports and 14 railroads, including two Class I lines.

To learn why Virginia is home to more than 700 internationally-owned companies, click here.

Virginia Beach recently hosted the 2012 AWEA Offshore Wind Conference, welcoming offshore wind energy leaders from across the globe.

Coming shortly after Governor McDonnell’s Conference on Energy in Richmond, Va., the Commonwealth continues to lay claim to the title “Energy Capital of the East Coast.”

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling spoke at the opening ceremony and VEDP Managing Director Jerry Giles was one of the panelists for the Virginia Spotlight session. Representatives from the Port of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, and the Virginia Department of Commerce and Trade spoke at events throughout the conference.

In addition, VEDP shared a trade show booth with Poseidon Atlantic in close proximity to Fugro and the Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition. Other Virginia-based companies in attendance included Apex Wind Energy, Bechtel Corp., and Maersk Line Limited.

VEDP and its partners continue to promote Virginia as the natural choice for the offshore wind industry. With its strong Class 6 winds, Virginia offers companies a central mid-Atlantic location, a high voltage transmission grid close to shore, and a premier maritime workforce with the largest industrial military complex in the U.S.

While the industry awaits news on the U.S. Bureau of Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) competitive auction process from its call for nominations last February, Virginia companies continue to make progress both on and offshore. 

Poseidon Atlantic has installed its Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) monitoring position in Northampton County, Va., as part of its wind measurement campaign. The results show wind conditions are better than expected. The company has also commenced its phase two study investigating offshore testing sites.

Wind energy remains an important component of Virginia’s all-of-the-above approach to the energy crisis. Home to more than 380 energy companies, the Commonwealth has seen more than $4.6 billion invested in energy projects over the last ten years. To learn more, click here.

Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Roth speaks about Virginia’s wind resources to a group of wind energy leaders at a dinner hosted by VEDP.

SteelMaster Buildings, LLC of Virginia Beach has been honored with the Growth Through Global Trade Award, a prestigious national award created by UPS in support of the National Export Initiative. SteelMaster Buildings, which recently completed VEDP’s Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, was the only company in the entire United States to receive the award.

Recognizing that 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside of the U.S., SteelMaster Buildings began to develop an international sales strategy five years ago. The company added a multilingual employee to work with its sales team. In July 2007, SteelMaster Buildings joined VEDP’s VALET program and began implementing its international sales strategy.

VEDP's VALET program incorporates services from a team of experienced international service providers who assist the VALET companies with their international goals. Service providers such as attorneys, Web designers, bankers, translators and freight-forwarders contribute essential skills for expansion into international markets.

When SteelMaster joined the program, the company’s international network consisted of four representatives. In less than two years, SteelMaster Buildings’ network grew to more than 40 representatives. Today, the Virginia company has more than 40,000 buildings worldwide in more than 40 countries and on six continents. SteelMaster Buildings graduated from the VALET program in July 2009 and continues to work with VEDP’s International Trade team to reach new goals of establishing relationships in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and China.

Read the article about SteelMaster Buildings’ success. For more information about VEDP and the VALET program, e-mail Leslie Parpart at lparpart@yesvirginia.org or Oscar Ruiz at oruiz@yesvirginia.org.