Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Roanoke County manufacturer to add jobs after merger
A Roanoke County-based manufacturer will invest $2.8 million in a new facility and create 25 jobs following its recent merger with another Roanoke-area firm, Keltech Inc., which was effective Dec. 31, according to a Tuesday news release.
P1 Technologies manufactures clips, connectors, electrodes and other components for the medical, defense and audio industries. Keltech Inc. makes printed circuit boards and other electronic parts for industries including defense, power generation and wireless communications.
“For decades, both P1 Technologies and Keltech have focused on delivering technically advanced manufacturing solutions,” P1 Technologies Chief Operations Officer Drew Bratton said in the release. “This merger strengthens our ability to innovate, accelerates production capabilities, and expands the resources we can offer our customers.”
P1 Technologies will keep its facility in Roanoke County as its headquarters and Keltech will operate as P1 Technologies, Keltech Division, in a new building on Thirlane Road near the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in the city of Roanoke.
The $2.8 million investment will include $1.5 million in facility upgrades for Keltech’s operations and $1.3 million in new equipment, according to the news release. The combined company will have approximately 500 employees. Hiring for the new positions will take one to two years, Bratton said in an email.
“This kind of investment and collaboration strengthens the region’s manufacturing base and positions it to compete for increasingly complex, high-value projects in the years ahead,” John Hull, president and CEO of the Roanoke Regional Partnership, a regional economic development organization, said in the release.
— Matt Busse
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Youngkin announces state board appointments
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced another round of state board and council appointments, including several from Southwest and Southside:
Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority Board of Trustees: Amanda Marko of Roanoke, president, Connected Strategy Group.
Commission on Local Government: Beckham Stanley of Bedford, principal, Rural Results Consulting.
State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board: Steve Higgins of Rockbridge County, managing partner, Priority Patient Transport; Theresa Kingsley-Varble of Bristol, emergency management coordinator, Washington County.
Virginia Forensic Nursing Advisory Council: Melissa Harper of Roanoke, forensic nurse, Ultra Health PEDS Forensic Nursing Department; forensic nurse, SAFE Center of SWVA.