Polish glass producer opening up facility in Henry County, creating 212 jobs

Press Glass investing $43.55 million to open 280,000 sqft. facility

HENRY COUNTY, Va. – State delegate Danny Marshal led the crowd gathered inside the Henry County administration building Monday morning in a round of applause to celebrate Press Glass coming to Henry County.

The company is Europe's largest independent flat glass producer.

"They expect to create 212 jobs at a starting pay above $15 an hour," Marshall said. "Homerun, Christmas in July here for Southside Virginia."

Those employees will be working in a 280,000 square foot facility, which the company plans to invest more than $43.5 million to build.

Press Glass Vice President Michael Lankford said the investment is an important step for the company.

"This new investment will allow Press Glass to enter new target markets. It'll allow us to go out and meet the territories and the market segments that we feel are important to the company," Lankford explained.

Press Glass is the first company to locate in Henry County's Commonwealth Crossing Business Park.

Lankford says the site provides a lot of potential.

"We believe we can meet our goals there. We believe that there'll be growth in that site. That site was very important for our growth strategy," Lankford said.

The county has been working with state and federal officials for over 10 years to get the business center ready and get companies to locate there.

County Board of Supervisors chairman Jim Adams said he never thought he'd be able to say that a business has decided to open up in the center.

"As you see here today, working together toward a vision, staying the course when some might suggest otherwise, is a successful model to follow," Adams said.

Press Glass plans to begin operation in the facility by the end of 2019.