HENRY COUNTY, Va. – Governor Ralph Northam announced Monday that Drake Extrusion, Inc., a subsidiary of Sweden-based Duroc AB and a manufacturer of colored filament yarn and staple fiber, will invest $6.9 million to expand its operation in Henry County. The company will establish an additional manufacturing facility in a vacant 120,000-square-foot building on Industrial Park Drive to accommodate its growing business in the polypropylene fibers market. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project, which will create 30 new jobs.

Drake Extrusion employs more than 187 workers in Henry County, where the company has been operating since 1995. The Henry County plant has been integral to Drake’s long-term growth plan, representing the only Duroc AB location in the United States. With research and development based on two continents, Drake is on the cutting edge of polypropylene fiber technology.

The company works with polymer suppliers to improve existing products and meet the challenge of new end uses. Drake’s ongoing field support includes fiber performance measurement techniques and refinements that maximize product value. The company’s products serve a variety of sectors, including residential upholstery, home furnishings, automotive, floor covering, and geotextiles.