PPI Time Zero Expands to Waynesboro
Waynesboro, Va.— One year after Gov. Bob McDonnell and other top state officials hailed its grand opening at Solutions Place, high-tech manufacturer PPI/Time Zero has announced plans to add space and another 50 jobs at the 340,000-square-foot business center in Waynesboro.
“PPI/ Time Zero’s expansion just one year after establishing its first Virginia operation is a great testament to the business environment experienced in Waynesboro at Solutions Place,” said Governor McDonnell. “I congratulate the company on its strong economic momentum and am confident that the corporate partnership between PPI/Time Zero and the Commonwealth will continue to grow in years to come.”
Dana Pittman, PPI/Time Zero President and CEO, said the company’s first year at Solutions Place has gone better than he could have imagined. “We expanded from New Jersey to Virginia to better serve our core clients in defense and attract new ones, and that’s exactly what happened. Now we are looking to expand to keep up with increasing demand,” he said.
The news comes as Solutions Place continues adding tenants and boosting economic opportunity in Waynesboro, including the July addition of a growing custom auto parts manufacturer and wholesaler, Killer B Motorsport.
From fighter and commercial aircraft to rescue helicopters and unmanned drones, PPI/Time Zero’s cutting-edge control and monitoring systems are used in aerospace and defense-related technology and by companies in the medical and industrial sectors.
By August, Pittman said the company expects to hit 50 employees, including engineers hired from regional manufacturers that had previously cut staff.
Pittman said he expects to hire another 50 employees, for a total of 100 skilled workers, by the end of 2012. PPI/Time Zero could also possibly add another 50,000 square feet, boosting its total space at Solutions Place to 70,000 square feet.
“Success often depends on location, and Solutions Place has been a key ingredient to a highly successful first year in Virginia,” Pittman said. “It offers us affordable rates, logistical support and the space to grow our workforce in a beautiful community that is strategically located next to our clients and key distribution corridors.”
Rebecca Polan, President of Allied Realty Company and Director of Solutions Way Management, manages Solutions Place.
“Solutions Place is ideal for established high-tech manufacturing companies like PPI, but it has been a good fit for others including office-based businesses and entrepreneurial endeavors,” Polan said.
A recent addition at Solutions Place is Killer B Motorsport, which manufactures high-end custom performance and decorative parts for Subaru enthusiasts worldwide. Started out of his Waynesboro garage by engineer Chris Bergeron, who was laid off at his job as an engineer, the business has grown dramatically using social media exclusively to drive sales, with revenues doubling each year in the past five years.
“I’ve hit the point where I need a workspace where I can take my business to its next stage of growth,” said Bergeron, who expects to finish moving into his new 5,000-square-foot shop at Solutions Place this July. “Solutions Place is affordable space, but professionally managed and adaptable to my needs.”
Greg Hitchin, Economic Development Director for the City of Waynesboro, welcomed the announcements at Solutions Place PPI/Time Zero.
“We are very pleased that PPI/Time Zero has found a successful home in Waynesboro. Their contribution to the community and steady growth continues to demonstrate that the legacy of ‘made in Waynesboro’ continues today,” said Hitchin.
In July of last year, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng hailed PPI/Time Zero’s $1.15 million expansion to Virginia from New Jersey as good for the local and state economy.
“PPI/Time Zero’s decision to establish operations at Solutions Place creates an excellent opportunity to attract more high-paying manufacturing jobs to Waynesboro and positions the community as an emerging hub for high-tech industries,” said Cheng in a statement to the press in 2011. “The location is an ideal fit due to the infrastructure in place at the facility, and I congratulate the company for choosing Virginia and the City of Waynesboro as its newest corporate partners.”
ABOUT PPI/TIME ZERO, INC.
PPI/Time Zero is an electronics manufacturing service (EMS) company providing low-to-medium volume highly customized electronics. With 40 years of service, PPI/Time Zero is known for manufacturing mission-critical products supporting aerospace, defense, industrial and medical instrumentation.
PPI/Time Zero offers its customers a total solution including design, prototyping, cable and harness manufacturing, turn-key printed circuit board assembly and box build, testing, thermal stress screening and end-of-life manufacturing support.
PPI/Time Zero is headquartered in Paterson, N.J.
For more information, visit ppi-timezero.com.
ABOUT SOLUTIONS PLACE
Solutions Place encompasses 340,000 square feet of office and warehouse space as well as logistical support and a gateway to the world economy. Solutions Place offers attractive low rent and high potential in Waynesboro, a livable, affordable community where families and companies can grow together.
But the Solutions Place advantage goes beyond location, location, location.
Solutions Place is a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), a designation that confers significant tax savings to tenants, and home to the Wanzhou Business Liaison Office, enabling companies to tap directly into one of the fastest-growing regions of China.
Solutions Place is among only a handful of locations in Central Virginia designated an FTZ and is owned and backed by Allied Logistics—one of the largest and most successful distribution, warehousing and processing companies based in the Mid-Atlantic region which makes storing, assembling and shipping products easy and affordable.
For more information, visit solutionsplace.net.
ABOUT THE CITY OF WAYNESBORO
The City of Waynesboro is centrally located in the southern portion of Virginia’s scenic and historic Shenandoah Valley, just 90 miles northwest of the state capital of Richmond and 125 miles southwest of the nation’s capital. The city covers an area of approximately 15 square miles.
Waynesboro’s outstanding transportation infrastructure and central location have contributed to its rich history of manufacturing excellence. Industrial giants GE, DuPont (now Invista) and Mohawk paved the way for today’s business and industry including the Polymer Group (PGI), nTelos Wireless and Virginia Panel Company. Travel and tourism are an important part of the city’s history as well. Situated at the crossroads of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Appalachian Trail and South River, Waynesboro offers a strategic respite for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts and contributes to the great quality of life for those who live and work in the area.
