New plant promising 2,500 jobs for southwest Virginia

By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A medical glove manufacturing facility promising to employ nearly 2,500 people is coming to southwest Virginia. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam made the announcement Monday, calling it a transformational, generational opportunity. Two companies have formed a joint venture that plans to invest $714 million to create a facility that will make both the raw material and the gloves themselves. The facility will be located in an industrial park in Wythe County, about 250 miles west of Richmond. Northam says the pandemic and associated supply chain problems highlighted the need for more on-shore production of personal protective equipment, including gloves.