Haulotte North America to Relocate Corporate Headquarters to Virginia Beach
March 4, 2015
Haulotte North America has announced it will move its North American headquarters from Frederick, Md., to Virginia Beach. The company is a subsidiary of Haulotte Group based in L’Horme, France, the third-largest manufacturer of aerial work platforms such as industrial scaffolding and lift systems.Haulotte will create 66 jobs in Virginia Beach within 36 months, with average salaries exceeding $70,000. Mayor Williams D. Sessoms, Jr. announced the company’s relocation today in his annual State of the City address.Haulotte plans to open its new facility by the middle of June 2015. The 83,000-square-foot facility will initially support the company’s headquarters, sales, customer service and distribution functions, as well as some periphery production and assembly operations.“We’re excited to welcome Haulotte North America to Virginia Beach,” said Warren D. Harris, director of Virginia Beach Economic Development. “Not only is this an addition to our dynamic international business community, but bringing a new corporate headquarters to the area sends a positive signal that Virginia Beach offers the assets necessary for a company’s long-term success: reasonable business costs, excellent work force and outstanding quality of life for their employees.”Claude Fuger, the company’s CEO and general manager, added, “This is a very important strategic move for Haulotte. We have been actively searching for a new location that will support our abilities to offer new products, improve service and become a major industry player on the North American scene. Proximity to the Port of Virginia will help us to reduce operating costs and offer better lead times to our customers. By locating in Virginia Beach, we will also provide our employees a great place to live and raise their families.”Haulotte USA will continue to operate a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing and assembly plant in Archbold, Ohio, although some of those operations will move to Virginia Beach. The company has indicated there may be potential for manufacturing growth in future phases in Virginia Beach.The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development worked with the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the local office of CB Richard Ellis on this corporate headquarters relocation assignment.The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international businesses to stimulate capital investment and create jobs. Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia with a population of 440,000, and it is the 37th largest in the United States. It is recognized as one of the Best Run Cities in America by 24/7 Wall St. The Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council in 2012 and is one of only 29 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. It is listed among the Top Five Overall Mid-sized American Cities of the Future, Top 10 for Economic Potential and Top Five for Infrastructure by fDi magazine. CNNMoney.com ranked Virginia Beach as the Easiest Place to Start a Business and the 2nd Most Business-Friendly City in the country. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.
