Danville, Va. – The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), a client of The SPECTRUM Group, announced Tuesday, December 23 that it has broken ground on a $25.5 million, 51,250-square-foot manufacturing center on its Danville campus.
When completed, the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) will offer space for manufacturing companies establishing or expanding their presence in Southern Virginia. The project is funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Danville Regional Foundation and is being built in cooperation with Virginia’s Division of Engineering and Buildings.
The IALR, a political subdivision of the commonwealth of Virginia, was established to diversify Southern Virginia’s economy. It facilitates and leads economic transformation across Southern Virginia via advanced learning, applied research, advanced manufacturing, conference services and economic development.
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam noted the importance of the CMA in IALR’s role. “Southern Virginia is a top location for advanced manufacturers from across the globe, and the Center for Manufacturing Advancement will undoubtedly help attract more of them to the region. This state-of-the-art facility will play an important role in driving economic development and innovation in Virginia, while also helping the existing Danville-Pittsylvania business community grow and thrive.”
“The vision for this center is bold, and it will have an enormous impact on our region’s future by providing the resources and environment for innovators and manufacturers to come together and create new products,” said Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones. “I look forward to seeing what products and innovations come out of this center in the years to come and the new opportunities that will be available for our citizens.”