Here’s a round-up of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Bluefield company to add 20 jobs thanks to boom in renewables
A Tazewell County company is expected to add 20 jobs and $575,200 in private investment, according to a release from the Virginia Coalfields Economic Development Authority.
The authority recently awarded a $447,200 low-interest loan to AMR PEMCO in Bluefield to finance the purchase of equipment and machinery and to make building renovations, expansions and improvements to increase production space and to improve production efficiencies at the company’s manufacturing facility at 1960 Valley Dale Street in Bluefield.
The company currently has 88 full-time employees at the Bluefield, Va., facility, but projects that number will increase to 108 within two years, according to a release from VCEDA.
PEMCO Corporation (doing business as AMR PEMCO) designs and manufactures products including dry-type transformers, power distribution equipment and industrial control enclosures and buildings. The company has mining-related customers, however, the majority of the company’s business now is non-mining-related. Originally founded in 1960, the company was acquired in November 2016 by American Mine Research, Inc. (AMR) of Rocky Gap. AMR was founded in 1975 by Robert Graf and in addition to PEMCO, has other affiliated companies including East River Metals, Inc., in Bland County; and Custom Manufacturing Services, Inc., in Princeton, West Virginia.
Through the years, VCEDA has provided six loans to PEMCO Corporation for various expansion projects, including the current loan.
The company’s sales, according to its application, are currently growing at a rapid rate, VCEDA says. Sales have increased dramatically for dry-type transformers, power distribution units, contract metal fabrication work and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for the renewables industry.
PEMCO is one of the four pilot companies in the Energy Storage and Electrification Manufacturing (ESEM) jobs project, of which VCEDA is one of the partner organizations.
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Danville institute rises $17,745 for charity
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville raised $17,745 for local charities through the annual “Wreaths for a Cause” holiday program. More than 150 guests attended the Dec. 15 open house to celebrate the holidays, enjoy door prizes and participate in a live and silent auction of wreaths.
Area businesses and organizations created and displayed 83 wreaths in IALR’s atrium in honor of their selected charities to raise funds in the form of votes, or donations. The public visited IALR’s atrium Nov. 28-Dec. 15 to vote for wreaths with a donation. Each of the more than 50 charities represented retained those funds, and the wreath that collected the most money (donated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber to support United Way of Danville-Pittsylvania County) received a bonus of $1,000 at the open house. Two random drawings of all wreaths awarded additional $1,000 and $500 bonus awards to participating charities: the Claire Parker Foundation, supported by GO TEC and Furniture Depot, and Hope House, supported by Wilkins & Co. and Building Blocks Center for Children with Autism. All wreaths were then auctioned off, raising more funds for the supported charities.
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Danville cancels Friday’s light show
In anticipation of bad weather, Danville Parks and Recreation has decided to cancel the Community Holiday Light Show scheduled for Friday, Dec. 23.