As a member of the Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA), our president, Doris Harkness, has had the opportunity to be part of the MIBE or Hampton Roads Maritime Industrial Base Ecosystem.  The emphasis of this group is to be able to qualify suppliers for not only Virginia’s ports, but also for naval and maritime locations in Hampton Roads. Part of this emphasis also includes providing the skills needed in the marketplace, as Newport News Shipbuilding continues to expand (manfuacturingskillsinstitute.org). Side note: there are many opportunities for technicians and skilled laborers, should you know of someone looking to learn or pick up shift work.

As we’ve all be impacted by COVID-19, the VMA has been working to develop a COVID-19 Back to Work Plan. Additionally, our ports continue to have safe practices while dealing with this virus. As things continue to slowly reopen, back to work safely will continue to be an emphasis as we all move forward.  This can also present opportunities for companies to develop technologies to help prevent, test, and/or provide treatment for a pandemic. 

How can Pace be helpful in Hampton Roads? With product lines like Aumund, Cambelt and Vortex, we can offer products that help move, load, and store products coming in and going out of the ports by rail, ship, or barge. Bottom line: as the economy reopens, Pace will be able to help the ports move valuable cargo.

Aumundusa.com

Cambelt.com

Vortexglobal.com