Halifax County Industrial Development Authority’s announcement of a titanium metal powder operation was ranked among Virginia’s top economic development projects last year.
The Virginia Economic Developers Association listed the IperionX project in fourth place when the group gathered last month for its winter meeting in Richmond.
Halifax County had not landed a new manufacturing project of significant scope in 25 years before IperionX, the association reported in a news release.
Locating in the IDA’s shell building in Halifax County’s Southern Virginia Technology Park, it marks an $82 million investment in the first phase of the project and plans to bring 108 new jobs to the region.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin ventured to Halifax in September to make the announcement.
IperionX plans to establish Virginia’s first titanium demonstration facility and has plans to expand the shell building to twice its size.
“While this will be incredibly impactful to the Halifax County economy, it will also be a tremendous asset to the Southern Virginia Region and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” officials with the Virginia Economic Developers Association wrote in a news release.
Youngkin applauded the IDA’s decision to build the shell building for the purpose of attracting new industry.
“It is a prime example of build it and they will come,” he said in September. “This was visionary.” Youngkin also attributed IperionX’s investment in Halifax County to partnership.
At the Halifax County facility, Youngkin said IperionX intends to source “100% renewable energy to produce 100% recycled titanium” and supply that titanium to advanced manufacturing needs: automotive, defense, aerospace, electric vehicles and 3D printing. He added the primary manufacturers and suppliers of titanium are in Russia and China, and IperionX’s move to open the titanium facility in Halifax County brings home that supply chain which is critical to advanced manufacturing.
