CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WRIC) — The Denmark-based LEGO Company has announced their first American factory, a $1 billion facility that will be located right here in Chesterfield County.
LEGO COO Carsten Rasmussen said his team considered a number of different sites, but that the Richmond area quickly became a top contender for the opportunity. Rasmussen noted that the development team visited the Chesterfield County site a number of times with and without him before making the decision.
“They said we think we know where we’re going,” Rasmussen said. “I kept reminding them, no we need to look many many places but since they won, the chemistry, the collaboration has been fantastic, and it’s only been growing.”
CEO Niels B. Christiansen says the Chesterfield County location more than satisfied their standards — meeting requirements and aspirations they hoped to incorporate in their project.
“The location is great from a logistical point of view in terms of getting products in and out, distributed in the country.” Christiansen said.
The CEO added that the site was large enough to accommodate on-site solar panels to power the entire facility — helping them meet their carbon-neutral goal. Accessibility to a large, skilled workforce was another incentive the CEO says LEGO considered when assessing the value of the Chesterfield County site.
Governor Glenn Younkin also attended the announcement Wednesday morning, noting the scale of this economic opportunity for Virginians searching for employment opportunities in related industries. When asked, Governor Younkin wouldn’t disclose the details of the negotiations that ultimately brought the multi-billion dollar company to Central Virginia, but he emphasized how competitive the process was.
“Everyone recognizes Virginia can be the best place for business,” Governor Younkin said. “We just have to compete and make it happen.”
