Virginia Economic Review

While many drivers along the Interstate 81 Corridor focus on the beauty of the surrounding mountains, I-81 is the backbone that connects a thriving manufacturing industry. Unlike many interstate systems, I-81 circumvents major metro areas to connect smaller and mid-size cities.

In recent years, the increased amount of available data — 64.2 zettabytes (equal to 1 trillion gigabytes) were created globally in 2020, compared to 2 zettabytes in 2010, according to Statista — and ways to analyze and use it have escalated the demand for data science professionals to fill data analyst, business intelligence engineer, and other roles.

Matt Poe always had an affinity for technology and cameras. Yet it wasn’t until he purchased a drone four years ago that he realized how much he enjoyed photography and videography. To hone his skills, the Abingdon resident began shooting footage of the mountainous region’s picturesque scenery.

When Continental Corp. announced its decision to invest an additional $10.3 million in its Winchester manufacturing facility in November 2018, its goal was to expand operations to speed production of its O’Sullivan brand surface products to market.

Former Textile Stronghold has Pivoted to Fuel the Future of Advanced Manufacturing The globally lauded comeback story of Southern Virginia hinged on taking on a task that many communities attempted, but few have achieved: reinventing its workforce.

Jay Timmons is president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and chairman of the board of the NAM's Manufacturing Institute. The NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector.