AFL to expand Washington County operation

Published August 21, 2018 by Jessica Sabbath

AFL is investing $1.3 million to purchase new machinery and add additional lines at its manufacturing operation in the Bristol-Washington County Industrial Park in Washington County.

The project is expected to create 20 new jobs and retrain 39 existing positions with support from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. The governor’s office said Virginia competed against South Carolina for the investment.

AFL recently acquired the Metal Castings division of Electro-Mechanical Corp. AFL manufactures fiber-optic cable and other products used the generation, transmission and distribution of control electricity.

The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, as well as sales and use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment and funding from VJIP. The AFL project is eligible to receive VJIP funding for the 39 employees being retrained, up to $400 each. The total approved amount is up to $15,600.