Did You Know They Made it Here?

When it comes time for you to enter the workforce, there are lots of things very close to home that you can help make. Because (believe it or not) the entire world “shops” in Lynchburg! Yep, companies right here in your own back yard manufacture products used by consumers and industries across the globe. Some of those products are familiar to you, some may surprise you.

Let’s take a look at just a few:
When it comes time for you to enter the workforce, there are lots of things very close to home that you can help make. Because (believe it or not) the entire world “shops” in Lynchburg! Yep, companies right here in your own back yard manufacture products used by consumers and industries across the globe. Some of those products are familiar to you, some may surprise you.

Let’s take a look at just a few:

	Kevlar® Fabric
	BGF Industries in Altavista produces fabrics woven from Kevlar fiber. We cannot confirm or deny the rumor that Bruce Wayne used BGF material in his Batman suit, which is also purported to be made of Kevlar.

	M-1 Abrams Tank Parts
	Wegmann USA in Lynchburg makes ammunition racks and specialized gearing for the M-1 Abrams tank, one of the main battle tanks produced in the U.S. The separated ammo storage system is one of the more distinctive features of this heavily armored, highly mobile vehicle.

	Nuclear Energy
	AREVA, a French corporation with four locations in Central Virginia, is the world’s leader in finding new ways to make and use nuclear energy. B&W in Lynchburg supplies nuclear fuel and services to the U.S. Navy and other high-profile customers.

	Nationals Park
	Banker Steel in Lynchburg provided the steel beams used in building Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals pro baseball team. The 41,888 seat venue features an innovative design of steel, glass and pre-cast concrete to create a facility that uniquely reflects the architecture of Washington, DC.

	Snack Foods
	Frito-Lay makes some of your favorite potato chips and tortilla chips at their Lynchburg factory.

	Chemical Sensors
	AMTI in Lynchburg has developed a sensor system that detects the in-air presence of hazardous chemicals and biological warfare agents. AMTI is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to keep Americans safe at home.

	Generic Drugs
	Teva in Forest makes a wide range of generic medicines, helping make prescriptions more affordable.

	Military Armor
	BGF Industries’ fabrics woven from Kevlar® fiber are also used in “bulletproof” panels for jets and armored vehicles.

	Police Radios
	Law enforcement officers in many major cities carry mobile radios made in Lynchburg by Harris Electronics.

	Plastic Bags
	The sandwich bag in your lunch may have been made in Amherst by Glad Manufacturing, a division of Clorox. (And the trash bag you threw it into when you finished may have been made there, too!)

	Circuit Boards
	Several local companies create printed circuit boards for products ranging from phones to satellites.

	Archery Releases
	TRU-Ball in Madison Heights manufactures precision releases that function as “triggers” for compound bows.

	Baby Formula
	Abbott Labs in Altavista makes baby formula and several famous brands of liquid nutritional supplements.

	Racing Engines
	Sonny’s Automotive in Lynchburg builds high-performance engines and components for some of the biggest names in drag racing.