Good morning and welcome back to Danville Field Notes, a weekly roundup of news bits and bobs from Southside Virginia.
This week, exciting news out of Gretna in Pittsylvania County as North America’s largest tank-truck manufacturer expands its operations. It feels like I’m writing about an economic development announcement here in Southside nearly every week — a testament to the continuing growth of the region.
Both Danville and Pittsylvania are prioritizing quality of life and infrastructure in the midst of this growth to continue to attract new businesses and employees and make sure they’re prepared for the continued momentum.
Read below to find out a bit more about quality of life and infrastructure efforts in the region, and as always, email me at grace@cardinalnews.org if you have an idea for a story!
Amthor opens expanded facility in Gretna
Amthor International opened its expanded facility in Gretna on Friday.
The company, founded in 1928 in upstate New York, has expanded several times, locating in Gretna 34 years ago.
Amthor manufactures truck-mounted tanks, with uses for refined fuel, propane, mining, septic, portable restrooms, water, well-drilling and construction industries.
This latest expansion, announced in 2022, is a 33,000-square-foot facility in the Gretna Industrial Park in Pittsylvania County.
It will bring between 50 and 75 new jobs to the region, said Brian Amthor, executive vice president of the company, a fourth-generation family-owned business.
“When we opened our doors [in Gretna] in 1992, we had exactly zero orders, no guarantees, no certainty,” Amthor said. “That small company grew into what is today North America’s largest and most diverse energy manufacturer.”
Amthor is hiring for its new facility, he said, looking for welders, mechanics, painters, electricians, quality control professionals, business development specialists and marketing managers.
“Moving into this plant allows us to expand production in our original facility up the road, give us the space to build more vessels, and keep up with the growing demand for Amthor products,” Amthor said.
The new facility is a launchpad for future growth, he said. The company is planning factory-owned shops across the U.S. “where trucks built right here in Gretna will be shipped, sold, serviced and delivered,” Amthor said.
Local legislators, county officials and economic development staff joined the Amthor family and the Danville-Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce at the ribbon-cutting event.
This announcement “tells us something important,” said Del. Eric Phillips, R-Henry County.
“It says that folks like Amthor believe in this community,” Phillips said. “You could have invested anywhere, but you chose to invest here, and that matters.”
Danville’s Festival in the Park looking for board members for 2027 event
The Festival in the Park is held every year on the weekend after Mother’s Day, but planning starts long before then.
The event team, which has collaborated with Danville Parks and Recreation since 1973 to put on the festival, is looking for board members for next year’s event.
The longest-running festival in the city’s history is a three-day event that includes food vendors, crafts, live music, children’s activities and rides. Over the years, it has also featured running events, car shows, pigs and dogs.
Board members will serve from August 2026 to June 2027 to plan the event and are expected to attend monthly meetings and the festival itself, which will be held May 15-17, 2027.
Members must be residents of the region who are willing to plan, fundraise and work the event. The board is led by an appointed president, vice president, treasurer and secretary.
Applications are now open, and those interested can apply here. Voting on final board members will be held by August, according to the event’s website.
Those interested in being a vendor for the event can also reach out to the team through the website.
Additional Hurt community input meeting on water improvements set for Wednesday
If you read last week’s Field Notes, you know about the Hurt community outreach meeting to discuss a potential grant for water improvements.
There will be a second meeting for this same purpose this Wednesday at 6 p.m., according to a public notice.
The location remains the same: Hurt Town Hall on Pocket Road.
Residents of the Pittsylvania County town are invited to share their input on a potential Community Development Block Grant that could fund upgrades to the town’s water treatment plan and infrastructure.
