Advanced Manufacturing

Hampton Roads is one of the best-performing manufacturing regions in the country, employing nearly 60,000 workers.

More than a 25%of the region’s manufacturers are located in Virginia Beach—and with good reason. Named one of America’s “Manufacturing Boomtowns,” the city offers this busy industry a strategic location, skilled workforce, and business-friendly incentives.

Situated in the heart of the mid-Atlantic, Virginia Beach is well-positioned for manufacturers looking to import, export, or ship their goods both domestically and internationally. The region’s strong transportation infrastructure includes two Class 1 railroads, two international airports, and a well-maintained highway system.

Even more advantageous is Virginia Beach’s proximity to the Port of Virginia—the third largest port on the East Coast and one of the most advanced port terminals in the U.S. Port users enjoy a variety of business incentives, including foreign-trade zone designation, tax credits, grants, and benefits like:

• No duties if goods are re-exported.
• No duties on broken or wasted products.
• Duties only on foreign parts used or the finished product—whichever is least expensive.
• Deferring payment to U.S. Customs until imported goods enter the U.S.
• Storing goods within the foreign-trade zone for unlimited time.

Virginia Beach is home to a diverse manufacturing center, producing everything from medical equipment to electrical wiring to power tools—and all of them enjoy the cost-friendly benefits of operating in Virginia Beach.

With our cost of industrial space coming in at 23% less than the national average, you’ll find an affordable place to set up shop, along with low—and in some cases, no—taxes.