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“What we’re going to do here today, besides cutting a ribbon, is we’re going to launch a business, and bring something to life that’s going to create jobs for years to come,” said Jacob Furbee, president and chief executive officer of XFactor Solutions Global, which celebrated its move from Las Vegas to Natural Bridge Station last Wednesday morning.
The company has leased space on Douglas Way in the Natural Bridge industrial park, which will be used for light manufacturing and warehousing of commercial-grade tents, and which is expected to employ 60 people.
These jobs will include sewers, welders, and general assembly workers.
“A lot of people have said, ‘Why would you bring a company to Natural Bridge, Virginia?’” Furbee said to the employees and government officials gathered for the ceremony.
“The employees we have, the labor force, the support of the local economic development committee, the state, and all of the folks in this community are so supportive, and they’re going to help ensure our success. It was an easy decision for me,” he said.
“We’re going to be active in the community; we look forward to strengthening the community that we work and live in every single day. We support innovation and growth, and that is our mindset here.”
Leslie Ayers, vice chair of the Rockbridge Board of Supervisors, also spoke about her hopes for connection between the company and community.
“XFS global, a cutting-edge tent manufacturer, has chosen our beloved Rockbridge County as its new home, a testament to the strength and appeal of our remarkable community,” she said.
“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I want to express our sincere gratitude for choosing Natural Bridge. Your decision speaks to the great potential of our community, and we are confident that this partnership will bring about collaboration and shared success for years to come,” said Ayers.
“We are excited about the prospect of building a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with you, so thank you, and let us look forward to a future filled with growth, innovation, and accomplishments,” Ayers said.
“When we started looking at this place and started talking about moving to Rockbridge County, I came up here to do the due diligence,” recounted Paul Wilcox, vice president of business development for XFS.
“I’ll tell you, it initially got my vote — if you go out here and go down that road to the left, stopped at a gas station and get some fried chicken at about lunchtime, and you would vote to move here, too,” he said.
Wilcox said that the company has already begun drawing on the resources of Rockbridge County.
“The local support is phenomenal. From the local vendors and manufacturers — we can’t thank them enough — we’ve got a great group of employees here that we’ve found, and we wouldn’t trade any of them for anyone else, anywhere else,” he said.
Following the ceremony, attendees were taken on a tour of the facility.
The company sent out its first shipments from Natural Bridge Station last week.
