HENRY COUNTY, Va. – A vacant building at the Patriot Centre at Beaver Creek is expected to soon house a new manufacturer as Fukoku Korea prepares to open an automotive products facility there.
They plan to invest more than $18 million in the site and create about 60 jobs, according to local officials.
The company, who’s American branch is called FKC America, is an automotive parts manufacturer. The Henry County facility will be used to produce rubber damper pulleys for automotive engines and thermal gap fillers for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
“Obviously, we’ve had this history of industrial decline that we’re still recovering from,” said Brandon Martin, Henry County’s public information officer. “This provides a little bit of hope and economic mobility.”
The project reflects a broader trend of new industry moving into Southside Virginia. Over the past year, six major companies have announced plans to locate in either Henry County or neighboring Pittsylvania County, representing nearly 3,500 jobs and about $2 billion in total investment.
Martin said the region’s workforce and local education institutions help attract new companies.
“We have a very good workforce, and we have Patrick & Henry Community College, which serves as a good pipeline for students coming out into the industry,” he said.
Patrick & Henry Community College President Dr. Greg Hodges said the school plays a key role in economic development efforts across the region.
“There isn’t an EDC pitch that doesn’t start or end on our campus,” Hodges said. “We’re part of the sausage-making that really helps recruit companies to come to this area.”
Hodges said the steady stream of new projects has begun reshaping the local economy.
“The economic renaissance is very real,” he said. “Folks are able to stay here locally and get the training they need to land a job that will take care of themselves and their family.”
As part of the deal, Governor Abigail Spanberger approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity fund to help with the project. The company hopes to have the Henry County facility operational by January.