On Friday, the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County celebrated the start of construction on the Microporous lithium-ion battery separator manufacturing facility at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill.
The company will invest $1.6 billion to construct the facility that will bring over 1,800 new jobs to the region. Annual wages average $61,000/year. Construction on the project is expected to take about 14 months meaning the facility will be opened in the third quarter of 2027.
Special remarks were delivered by John Reeves, CEO of Microporous, Danville Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA) Chairman Vic Ingram, and Sherman Saunders, RIFA Vice Chairman.
Reeves said, “We’re honored to celebrate this milestone alongside the many partners who helped make this project possible. This investment reflects our confidence in Southern Virginia’s workforce, infrastructure, and future. We look forward to building lasting relationships here as we create new opportunities for families, support regional economic growth, and advance the technologies that will power the future.”
RIFA Chairman Vic Ingram noted, “Not only is this a major milestone for the Southern Virginia Mega Park at Berry Hill but this is a historic day for the largest industrial park on the east coast. When I spoke at the initial announcement two years ago, I patiently longed for this day to become reality. Today, as the first shovel of dirt is moved, we all can celebrate this day as we officially welcome Microporous as our first tenant and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship for years to come. Welcome to Pittsylvania County.”
“Today is about opportunity for our people, for our families, and for the next generation growing up right here in this region,” remarked Saunders. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am even more excited about where we are headed.”
Microporous is now the first tenant at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill, the largest megasite in Virginia and the southeastern United States.