Lynchburg Region Manufacturing Still Going Strong

There’s a common misconception among United States consumers that nearly all of the products we buy and sell are produced outside of our own country. Here’s the reality: manufacturing accounts for a significant portion of the American workforce and new data shows the Lynchburg region is adding a large number of jobs in this sector.

Manufacturing employment in the Lynchburg metropolitan area grew by more than 10% between May and June of this year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That same agency reports there were 15,700 manufacturing jobs in our region as of June, accounting for nearly 16% of our total workforce. Year-over-year, labor statistics show the number of manufacturing jobs in the greater Lynchburg area grew by 5.4%. Our metropolitan area was the only one in Virginia to experience annual growth in this sector based on June numbers.

Our strength in manufacturing is anchored by nuclear technology firms such as BWX Technologies, headquartered in Lynchburg, and Framatome, which bases its North American operations here.  We are also home to a large distribution facility for Bausch and Lomb, a global eye health company that is planning to invest more than $35 million in our region and add 79 new jobs over the next five years. Delta Star, a manufacturer of power substations and transformers, employs more than 400 full-time workers at its Lynchburg corporate headquarters. Companies known internationally such as Abbott, Belvac, Fleet, Frito Lay, Glad, KDC/One, and U.S. Pipe maintain a sizeable presence in our region.
Within our region there are clusters of manufacturing activity. The industry segment with the highest concentration of employment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is metal and product manufacturing. This cluster, as of 2019, employed 3,349 workers in our region with an average wage of $79,044.

The Lynchburg area has long been known as a hub for the manufacturing of wireless technology. L3Harris employs more than 450 people at facilities in the Lynchburg area, including around 100 at its Eagle Focus Factory in Forest and just under 400 at its Jefferson Ridge Parkway facility in Lynchburg. Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (AMTI) provides a wide range of “product-to-market” services to clients ranging from medical to military.
Innovation drives much of our manufacturing activity. NanoTouch Materials, launched and based locally in Forest, develops self-cleaning surfaces under the NanoSeptic brand name. Manufacturers around the country are served by the conveyor systems, robotics, and custom factory automation produced by Simplimatic in Bedford County.

Smaller companies have found success launching and growing their manufacturing businesses in our region. Virginia MetalFab founded its operations in Appomattox County in 2010 and is quickly becoming a leader within the metal fabrication industry. Blue Ridge Optics, a producer of optic lenses used in aerospace engineering, medicine and surveillance, has seen annual growth of 20% since beginning operations in Bedford back in 2006.
Manufacturing is a top income generator of the Lynchburg region’s economy. To ensure those businesses remain strong well into the future, the Central Virginia Workforce Development Board has money available to help our employers retrain and upskill existing workers. We can help them adapt to emerging technologies and meet the demands of our evolving marketplace.

As we navigate uncertain times, the Lynchburg area is poised to emerge from our current economic crisis stronger than many other regions of the country. Our metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranks low on the economic vulnerability index published by Chmura Analytics, which measures the negative impacts of COVID-19 on employment based upon a region’s mix of industries. Our manufacturing employers provide a strong base from which we can continue to grow our resilient economy.
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Tim Saunders is the Business Engagement and Outreach Coordinator for the Central Virginia Workforce Development Board and Central Virginia Planning District Commission. He works to share information about workforce development programs and services for employers, local governments, media, and the public. Tim previously spent 20 years in the television news industry and has experience as a reporter, anchor, and newsroom manager.