Area Development
Wolverine Advanced Materials will invest $10.625 million to expand its specialty rubber coated materials manufacturing operation in Montgomery County, Virginia, creating 93 jobs in the Commonwealth. The company produces high-performance materials used in automotive and industrial noise reduction for brake and sealing applications.

A developer, manufacturer and supplier to global friction and OEM manufacturers that demand high-performance materials, the company’s core competency is in performance-critical, specialty elastomer-coated metals that offer damping and seal-ability solutions in the Automotive Brake, NVH, and Sealing industries.

“With our rich company history in Virginia, Wolverine is excited about expanding our manufacturing operations in Montgomery County,” said Grant Beard, Chairman, CEO, and President of Wolverine.“This investment will help Wolverine grow its global business while simultaneously benefiting Montgomery County through our expanded workforce.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Montgomery County and the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Terry McAuliffe approved a $250,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Montgomery County with the project. The company will receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Grant Program. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

Governor Terry McAuliffe said, “I am thrilled to announce Wolverine’s significant investment in Montgomery County today. The company will add manufacturing capacity to reach its key growth markets in China and India, using the Port of Virginia as a gateway for its exports. Increasing export volumes and creating advanced manufacturing jobs are key components of building a new Virginia economy. This project will benefit not only Montgomery County, but the Port and the Commonwealth as a whole.”

“Montgomery County has been home to Wolverine Advanced Materials’ Virginia facilities for 40 years,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “In the face of global competition, the company’s choice to grow its manufacturing operations in the Commonwealth speaks volumes about the benefits of our business environment, workforce and global access to markets.”