A stable, business-friendly operating environment, availability of reliable and competitively priced electricity service options, and access to appropriately skilled talent are amongst Washington County’s locational advantages for companies which utilize machining and metal fabrication production processes.
Virginia ranks #2 for the overall tax burden of mature labor-intensive manufacturing firms (Tax Foundation – Location Matters, 2015).
Virginia consistently ranks amongst the nation’s top states for business (CNBC, Forbes), include Top 3 rankings for regulatory environment (Forbes, 2019). The northernmost Right-to-Work State on the East Coast, Virginia ranks third (tied) for the nation’s lowest union membership rates (BLS, 2019)
Over 2,000 individuals are employed in Primary Metal Manufacturing, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing, and Machinery Manufacturing firms across the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN/VA MSA (BLS, 2019). Programs at regional community colleges offer a wide array of training programs supporting this industry sector including: Precision Machining, Welding, Computer Numerical Controls, Mechatronics, and Production Technology.
| Company | Product/Service |
|---|---|
| HAPCO Pole Products | Architectural Lighting and Flag Poles |
| Columbus McKinnon Corporation | Chain Hoists |
| General Engineering | Hydraulic Cylinders for Heavy Equipment |
| Appalachian Cast Products | Aluminum Foundry |
| W&W/AFCO Steel | Steel Fabrication |
| XCAL Tools | Drilling Bits and Carbide Tooling Products |
| AFL Global | Foundry/Castings |
| Wolf Hills Fabricators | Metal Fabrication |
| Mountain Top Custom Kennels | Custom Kennels, Metal Fabrication, Machine Shop |
| Central Machine Shop | Machine Shop |
| Glade Machine Company | Machine Shop |
| Virginia Metals, Inc. | Metal Fabrication |
| Virginia Laser | Laser Cutting, Metal Forming, Machining |
| Virginia Highlands Machining | Machine Shop |
| Zenith Fuel Systems | Carburetors and Machining Services |
| AZZ Galvanizing | Zinc Galvanization |
| Highlands Industrial Millwright | Millwright Services |
| Lilly Tool and Die | Machine Shop |
| Big R Bridge | Metal Fabrication |
| Abingdon Steel | Steel Fabrication |
| SPIG | Guardrail Products |
| American Mountain Technologies | Metal Fabrication- Storage Containers for Nuclear Products |
HAPCO Pole Products is a leading manufacturer of aluminum and steel architectural and lighting pole products for use in commercial and industrial, electric utility, transportation infrastructure, and OEM markets. Located in Washington County, VA since 1962, HAPCO recently completed an expansion project which added new jobs and over $7 million of new investment to the community, including 60,000 SF of additional space to support completion a dedicated steel manufacturing facility.
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019)
| Occupations | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA MSA | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA | Pittsburgh, PA MSA | Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $14.54 | $18.28 | $19.71 | $17.77 | $18.47 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $17.60 | $34.61 | $27.15 | $29.09 | $26.19 |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $15.19 | $19.12 | $20.17 | $18.87 | $18.20 |
| Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $17.19 | $19.19 | $16.68 | $17.33 | $18.31 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $12.55 | $17.34 | $16.12 | $16.20 | $16.67 |