High-tech manufacturer PPI/Time Zero has announced plans to add space and another 50 jobs at Solutions Place in Waynesboro.
“PPI/ Time Zero’s expansion just one year after establishing its first Virginia operation is a great testament to the business environment experienced in Waynesboro at Solutions Place,” Gov. Bob McDonnell said. “I congratulate the company on its strong economic momentum and am confident that the corporate partnership between PPI/Time Zero and the Commonwealth will continue to grow in years to come.”
Dana Pittman, PPI/Time Zero president and CEO, said the company’s first year at Solutions Place has gone better than he could have imagined.
“We expanded from New Jersey to Virginia to better serve our core clients in defense and attract new ones, and that’s exactly what happened. Now we are looking to expand to keep up with increasing demand,” Pittman said.
The news comes as Solutions Place continues adding tenants and boosting economic opportunity in Waynesboro, including the July addition of a growing custom auto parts manufacturer and wholesaler, Killer B Motorsport.
From fighter and commercial aircraft to rescue helicopters and unmanned drones, PPI/Time Zero’s cutting-edge control and monitoring systems are used in aerospace and defense-related technology and by companies in the medical and industrial sectors.
By August, Pittman said the company expects to hit 50 employees, including engineers hired from regional manufacturers that had previously cut staff.
Pittman said he expects to hire another 50 employees, for a total of 100 skilled workers, by the end of 2012. PPI/Time Zero could also possibly add another 50,000 square feet, boosting its total space at Solutions Place to 70,000 square feet.
“Success often depends on location, and Solutions Place has been a key ingredient to a highly successful first year in Virginia,” Pittman said. “It offers us affordable rates, logistical support and the space to grow our workforce in a beautiful community that is strategically located next to our clients and key distribution corridors.”
Rebecca Polan, president of Allied Realty Company and director of Solutions Way Management, manages Solutions Place.
“Solutions Place is ideal for established high-tech manufacturing companies like PPI, but it has been a good fit for others including office-based businesses and entrepreneurial endeavors,” Polan said.
A recent addition at Solutions Place is Killer B Motorsport, which manufactures high-end custom performance and decorative parts for Subaru enthusiasts worldwide. Started out of his Waynesboro garage by engineer Chris Bergeron, who was laid off at his job as an engineer, the business has grown dramatically using social media exclusively to drive sales, with revenues doubling each year in the past five years.
“I’ve hit the point where I need a workspace where I can take my business to its next stage of growth,” said Bergeron, who expects to finish moving into his new 5,000-square-foot shop at Solutions Place this July. “Solutions Place is affordable space, but professionally managed and adaptable to my needs.”
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