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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Hershey Company Expands Stuarts Draft, Virginia, Operations Center

03/15/2017
The Hershey Company will make a multi-million dollar investment in new machinery to increase production capacity at its production center in Stuarts Draft, Virginia. The company plans to create 69 jobs.

Located in unincorporated Augusta County, Stuarts Draft is part of the Waynesboro metro area, approximately 86 miles west of Richmond.

The Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) will provide funding and services to help recruit and train the new employees. The VJIP funding also will support the retraining of 140 existing employees on the new equipment.

“Our plant in Stuarts Draft is critical to our ability to deliver fresh, delicious products that consumers love,” said Dennis Winnett, Plant Manager at the Stuarts Draft facility. “As Hershey’s sales continue to grow and we bring more innovative products to market, Stuarts Draft will play an important role in our ability to make these popular Hershey products for consumers all across the country.”

“The Hershey Company’s most recent production expansion at its operation in Augusta County is a tremendous testament to the Commonwealth’s competitive business climate, infrastructure and dedicated workforce,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “The food processing industry continues to play a critical role in our efforts to diversify and build the new Virginia economy. The Commonwealth is proud to boast a beloved global brand like Hershey on its corporate roster, and we look forward to many more years of success for the company in Virginia.”

“More than 35,000 Virginians are employed in the food processing industry, which is one of the Commonwealth’s largest manufacturing sectors, thanks to valued business partners like The Hershey Company,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Hershey’s Augusta County facility, the company’s second largest U.S. plant, is a valuable employer of more than 900 people in the Shenandoah Valley. We are honored that Hershey continues to invest and expand in the Commonwealth and look forward to future growth in the years to come.”

The latest project marks the eighth expansion for Hershey at its Augusta County plant, which was established in 1980. In addition, the VJIP program has supported four other expansions by Hershey, including, most recently, the August 2016 addition of a new product line at the facility in Stuarts Draft.

“The Stuarts Draft community and Augusta County are appreciative of our partnership with Hershey Chocolate of Virginia, and we will work hard to support the company’s efforts to expand and thrive in this area,” said Carolyn Bragg, member of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors and representative of the South River District where the company is located. “Hershey’s longstanding presence is a testament to that partnership.”

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