Textiles startup opening Buchanan County sewing factory

Operation will be based in county industrial park building

Published February 23, 2021 by Richard Foster

Local textiles manufacturing startup Maine Five is opening a sewing factory at Buchanan County’s Council Industrial Park building.

Investing $350,000 in the 17,211-square-foot factory space, the company is immediately hiring 12 workers and has plans to employ to 100 total workers by 2026. Founded in 2020, Maine Five manufactures medical supplies, bags and field kits and is expanding into producing textile products such as nylon backpacks, uniforms and outdoor apparel.

“We believe the area has a lot of potential,” says Bill Smith, the company’s president, said in a statement, adding that he wants to help rebuild the area’s economy, which has been harmed by the declining coal industry. “There are a lot of intelligent, hard-working people there. The infrastructure is there and the skilled labor is there, and we want to work with them.”

The Virginia Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) helped land the deal, with the assistance of county officials, Virginia Career Works and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

“We knew Buchanan County had a building and in fact, equipment at the Council Industrial Park that would benefit Maine Five in its search to find a location to grow its business,” said VCEDA Executive Director and General Counsel Jonathan Belcher. “The Council Industrial Park was one of the earliest industrial parks and industrial buildings financed by VCEDA, so with our knowledge of that location, we were able to connect Maine Five to the county and also to other programs available to help businesses. … We welcome them to the region.”