Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced that SPARC Research, a provider of program and engineering services in advanced missile and rocket propulsion, will invest $2.5 million to expand its operation in Fauquier County. The company will establish a new 20,000-square-foot office and manufacturing facility on 4.5 acres at 5310 Edmore Court near its current location. With this expansion, SPARC plans to increase its engineering capabilities and establish rocket motor component manufacturing to produce nozzle components, case insulation, and assembly functions. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland and West Virginia for the project, which will create 16 new jobs.
“We are excited to see a leader in advanced missile and rocket propulsion development like SPARC Research expand and diversify its operations in our Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “Among the many assets that make Virginia a great location for the aerospace industry, the skilled talent and strong higher education partnerships in the region will offer the company strong support for its manufacturing expansion in Fauquier County.”
Founded in 2017, SPARC Research provides high-tech aerospace engineering services focused on advancing state-of-the-art tactical missile propulsion. SPARC offers mechanical engineering and structural, thermal, and aerodynamic rocket and ramjet design, as well as performance analysis, and prototype demonstrations.
“We are pleased to see SPARC Research create new jobs with support for employee recruitment and training from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “The strength of the Commonwealth’s aerospace sector is rooted in its diversity, with manufacturing, defense, R&D, and commercial space represented. SPARC touches multiple components of the industry, and we look forward to the next chapter of the company’s growth in Fauquier County.”
“Virginia represents an ideal location for us to take the next step in our growth plan,” said Dr. Patrick Hewitt, President of SPARC Research. “The area offers ready access to our military customer base, as well as larger propulsion companies we work with, and the local universities also provide a steady stream of young engineering talent. We appreciate the assistance the state and local offices have provided along the way, and we look forward to a continued relationship going forward.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Fauquier County to secure the project for Virginia and will support SPARC Research’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens.
“The County is pleased that SPARC Research has decided to expand its business at Vint Hill,” said Fauquier County Board of Supervisors Chairman Christopher N. Granger and Vice Chair R. Holder Trumbo, Jr. “Fauquier County identified the business as a targeted industry and stepped up with a comprehensive package to support this important project. We look forward to the company’s future success here.”
“We are delighted that SPARC has chosen to make this investment in Fauquier County,” said Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel. “It is a product of the successful partnership with VEDP and reflects what Fauquier County has to offer a successful aerospace and engineering company like SPARC. We are excited to continue working with them.”
“I am excited for SPARC's expansion in Fauquier County and the jobs it will bring to our region,” said Delegate Elizabeth Guzman. “The Commonwealth of the future will be built in part with STEM-H jobs. SPARC’s decision to expand in Fauquier County will help Virginia to continue cultivating the best and brightest minds in the field of aeronautics and propulsion.”