Governor McDonnell Announces $45 Million Investment in Frederick County
– Carmeuse Lime & Stone to expand manufacturing operation and create 25 new jobs –

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Carmeuse Lime & Stone, a manufacturer of a complete range of lime and limestone products for a variety of industries, will invest $45 million to expand its manufacturing operation in Frederick County. The project, which will include the installation of a new modern kiln to meet growing production demands, will create 25 new jobs.

Speaking about today's announcement, Governor McDonnell said, "Carmeuse Lime & Stone has a strong presence in Virginia, as the Frederick County operation is one of five locations in the Commonwealth. All Carmeuse products are produced from high-quality natural deposits of limestone, and the Frederick County mine has ample infrastructure to accommodate the need for increased production. The lime business is expanding rapidly due to regulations that require coal fired utilities to perform additional scrubbing, and Carmeuse's consistent growth in Virginia speaks volumes about our positive business climate and wealth of available natural resources."

"This significant investment from a company with five Virginia operations is tremendous news for Frederick County and the Commonwealth," said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. "The Frederick operations have thrived since 1959, and this project is testament to the strong workforce and operating infrastructure in the region."           

Carmeuse Lime & Stone, a subsidiary of Carmeuse Group, owns and operates about 30 facilities in the United States and Canada, including limestone quarries, lime plants and underground limestone mines. Headquartered in Belgium, the privately held Carmeuse Group is a leader in producing and supplying all forms of limestone and its derivatives, operating in about 90 locations in Italy, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bosnia, Turkey, Ghana, the United States and Canada.        

Area Operations Manager, Jim Bottom, stated that Carmeuse is thrilled to be expanding its operations in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  According to Bottom, "Carmeuse already has a strong presence in Virginia. The Commonwealth and the Frederick County Economic Development team have been great to work with and have offered Carmeuse an attractive incentive package, which certainly influenced our decision to expand in Virginia versus other states."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Frederick County and the Winchester-Frederick County Economic Development Commission to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McDonnell approved a $250,000 performance-based grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership (VIP) program, an incentive available to existing Virginia companies.  Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company's recruitment, training and retraining activities.           

"Carmeuse Lime & Stone's investment is a testament to Frederick County's quality workforce, business environment, and infrastructure.  Carmeuse Lime and Stone has an extensive presence in Virginia and we are pleased that Carmeuse has chosen Frederick County for its expansion," commented Richard Shickle, Chairman of the Frederick County Supervisors.

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