Virginia research institute to build $25.5 million manufacturing center

Rendering of Virginia's planned $25.5 million, 51,250-sq.-ft. Center for Manufacturing Advancement, scheduled for completion in 2021.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) plans to build a facility devoted to advanced manufacturing at its campus in Danville, Va. It’s scheduled for completion in 2021.

The mission of the $25.5 million, 51,250-square-foot Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) is to teach the skills needed to work in today’s manufacturing economy.

“The skill sets and demand for advanced manufacturing labor are continuously growing along [with] the endless evolution of technology,” said IALR Executive Director Mark Gignac. CMA will supplement the Gene Haas Center for Integrated Machining Technology, located on the IALR campus, and will be built adjacent to the recently completed Kyocera SGS Tech Hub facility.

The center will offer manufacturers the following amenities:

• A rapid-launch facility that will let a new business begin limited operations at CMA while its plant is being constructed and having equipment installed.

• An ISO-certified inspection lab that will provide integrated inspection capabilities required to validate product quality. This service is projected to reduce the start-up phase for a new company by eight to 10 months, the time required to certify an inspection lab.

• A process-improvement lab that will enable new and existing businesses to improve their processes in a more-expeditious manner.

• A platform for collaborative innovation that will allow manufacturing companies, technology companies, and engineering students to work together to discover, integrate, and showcase emerging technologies.

• Concierge service that will provide the wrap-around support needed by a company new to the U.S. during the start-up phase.

The Commonwealth of Virginia and the Danville Regional Foundation are funding the $25.5 million project.