PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – Two years after local and state officials announced a billion-dollar investment, the first shovels hit the ground at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill. Battery component manufacturer Microporous is building a $1.6 billion facility expected to create 1,800 jobs in Pittsylvania County.
The project marks the first tenant at the megasite, a regional industrial park that has been decades in the making under the oversight of the Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA), a joint board between Pittsylvania County and the City of Danville.
A moment decades in the making
Danville City Councilman Sherman Saunders, one of the regional leaders behind the megasite’s development, described the groundbreaking as something larger than a construction milestone.
“What we’re celebrating today is bigger than construction. It’s bigger than a building. Today is about opportunity for our people, for our families, and for the next generation growing up right here in this region,” Saunders said.
Vic Ingram, chairman of the RIFA board, said the incoming jobs will have wide-reaching effects across Pittsylvania County — including easing the financial burden on residents.
“We can drop the tax rate where people don’t have to struggle to pay their taxes. You know, it’s going to take a while to get there, but we’re working on it,” Ingram said.
The path to groundbreaking wasn’t without obstacles. A $100 million grant was frozen after President Trump took office, raising questions about whether the project would move forward. Local and state leaders worked to get the funding reinstated and continued pursuing additional financing to keep the project on track.
What Microporous will make — and why it matters
Microporous plans to use its Virginia facility to manufacture battery insulators — components that prevent batteries from short-circuiting. CEO John Reeves says the project benefits both the company and the communities it’s entering.
“It’s 1,800 jobs coming into your community and much higher wage rates than our customers in this community. So a win for us and I think a win for the community as well,” Reeves said.
The facility is expected to take approximately 14 months to complete, with a targeted opening date as early as 2027.