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Spotlight on Growth
and Development in Danville
Recent business and
economic development highlights from the region
Related
Stories:
-
Rebuilding Danville
- How
a revived raceway boosts the Danville area
-
What
Martinsville can learn from Danville
-
Averett University President
Dr. Richard Pfau on the university and its ties to Danville
Universal
Leaf North America Expands Processing Capabilities
Universal Leaf North American completed a major renovation
of its existing 30-year-old tobacco processing facility
in Danville, investing $28 million to convert the operation
to an 800,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art processing
plant that employs 580 full-time salaried and hourly
workers. In conjunction with the expansion, Universal
signed a 10-year contract with Philip Morris USA to
supply a significant portion of its U.S. leaf processing
requirements.
Founded
in 1918 and headquartered in Richmond, the company is
the world's largest independent tobacco merchant. The
company conducts business in more than 40 countries
around the world and employs more than 26,000 people.
Danville Regional Health System's $100 Million Investment
Danville Regional Health System has invested in its
health delivery capabilities over the past ten years
to improve the quality of health care and quality of
life in the area. DRHS has added 76 new full-time physicians
in a number of specialties, including neurosurgery,
orthopedics, radiation oncology and cardiovascular surgery.
In March it opened the Heart Center of the Piedmont,
through an affiliation with Duke University, which allows
DRHS to access the training programs and expertise of
Duke University Medical Center, rated as one of the
top five heart hospitals in the country.
DRHS
is the only community hospital in Virginia offering
stereotactic radiosurgery - a specialized field of medicine
utilized to treat cancers of the head and neck using
highly concentrated beams of radiation to attack tumors
in areas that would normally be inoperable. DRHS was
one of the first hospitals in the nation to invest in
a computerized medicine administration system, where
patient medications are selected and verified using
bar code technology to prevent human error in medication
dispensation. Finally, DRHS continues to operate one
of the last hospital-based nursing programs in the state.
This program trains local residents to staff critical
nursing positions at the hospital. Based on the success
of this program, DRHS recently established a School
of Radiologic Technology as a local solution to the
national shortage of trained x-ray technicians.
Dan
River Business Development Center
The Business Development Center serves as a technology
and manufacturing incubator for Danville and Pittsylvania
County. The 30,000-square-foot facility is capable of
accommodating up to 41 different businesses in the form
of 35 individual office spaces and six light industrial
bays.
The
center offers many unique attributes for doing business,
including an OC3 fiber optic connection, roughly 2800
times a 56k dial-up; 650 CAT 5e data ports, computers,
copiers, and other business machines; a conference room,
kitchen, meeting and seminar space; a truck dock and
semi-truck dock, after-hours pick up, delivery cages,
and lockable storage areas. Support services on site
include a Small Business Development Center (SBDC),
the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise,
receptionist and secretarial assistance, as well as
resident experts on marketing, business planning and
accounting.
Southern
Piedmont Technology Council
The SPTC, funded by Virginia's Center for Innovative
Technology, has been an important resource focusing
on advancing technology in the region and serving technology-related
needs at all levels and all sectors. Through SPTC's
strong commitment to the development of strategic partnerships
and collaborative initiatives, the region is at a pivotal
stage in the transition and poised to continue the momentum.
Whether it is through the SPTC forums, networking meetings,
legislative support, statewide outreach, participation
in the Virginia Technology Alliance, strong partnerships,
the annual Banquet and its membership base, SPTC continues
to highlight the tremendous potential of the region
and serve as a catalyst in promoting the technology
drive and energy of the region.
Return
to Virginia Business - April 2003
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