Area Development
Advanced Integrated Technologies, a ship repair contractor for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and the marine, industrial, and commercial industries in North America, will expand operations in Norfolk, Virginia. The $500,000 project is expected to create 76 jobs.

The company will increase capacity at its location in the Norfolk Industrial Park to serve recent government contract awards from the U.S. Department of Defense.

“I am so excited to announce that AIT will be expanding our Virginia footprint to restimulate the local workforce and talent pool while providing more capabilities to service our war fighting ships,” said Cheryl Spraberry, AIT’s President. “In 2022, we invested in equipment to launch our new fabrication and machining division and our in-house welding school to prepare and train our current employees, as well as our newest capability of starting an NDT Lab in 2023-2024. These new capabilities will allow AIT to continue to control its own destiny while creating jobs from local talent in our enterprise zone. Our team is truly humbled by this new partnership with the City of Norfolk and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and I look forward to continuing to grow our business and provide a family-oriented environment to our future workforce.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with the City of Norfolk to secure the project and will support AIT’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment, retention and training.

As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens. Additionally, the company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

“The ship repair industry is a major economic driver for Hampton Roads, and valued partners like AIT ensure commercial and government marine vessels will thrive,” noted Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “The Commonwealth’s workforce training incentives help secure these competitive projects, and we are pleased to support AIT’s expansion in Norfolk and the addition of 76 new jobs for the region’s hard working residents.”

Advanced Integrated Technologies has over 40 years’ management experience and more than 100 employees representing the full range of maritime construction and repair trades, backed by planners, quality engineers, project managers, safety inspectors and a solid quality assurance team.