Internationally Owned Companies
The Greater Richmond area has long been a favorable location for international companies and commerce. Virginia was settled by the Virginia Companie, a for-profit entity established by the British government. Richmond city was founded in 1737 to serve as a central marketplace and collection point for Virginia exports to England.
The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. maintains a list of internationally owned companies. There are nearly 150 firms representing 24 countries located in the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada have the most parent companies. Because some firms have more than one subsidiary and/or more than one physical location, there are more than 170 facilities in the area with nearly 13,000 employees. The products and services provided by these firms range from industrial machinery to specialty foods and from transportation to consulting services.
| Country | International Parent Companies | % of Total | Local Facilities | % of Total | Local Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 7 | 4.8% | 7 | 4.1% | 517 | 4.0% |
| Austria | 3 | 2.1% | 3 | 1.8% | 91 | 0.7% |
| Belgium | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 500 | 3.8% |
| Brazil | 2 | 1.4% | 2 | 1.2% | 10 | 0.1% |
| Canada | 12 | 8.2% | 12 | 7.1% | 790 | 6.1% |
| China | 4 | 2.7% | 4 | 2.4% | 49 | 0.4% |
| Czech Republic | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 6 | 0.0% |
| Finland | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 22 | 0.2% |
| France | 8 | 5.5% | 12 | 7.1% | 1867 | 14.4% |
| Germany | 32 | 21.9% | 40 | 23.5% | 2401 | 18.5% |
| Greece | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 55 | 0.4% |
| India | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 20 | 0.2% |
| Israel | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 260 | 2.0% |
| Italy | 4 | 2.7% | 4 | 2.4% | 742 | 5.7% |
| Japan | 20 | 13.7% | 20 | 11.8% | 1849 | 14.2% |
| Luxembourg | 1 | 0.7% | 2 | 1.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mexico | 2 | 1.4% | 5 | 2.9% | 131 | 1.0% |
| Netherlands | 8 | 5.5% | 8 | 4.7% | 186 | 1.4% |
| New Zealand | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 800 | 6.2% |
| Philippines | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 8 | 0.1% |
| Spain | 2 | 1.4% | 2 | 1.2% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Sweden | 5 | 3.4% | 5 | 2.9% | 980 | 7.5% |
| Switzerland | 5 | 3.4% | 9 | 5.3% | 172 | 1.3% |
| Taiwan | 1 | 0.7% | 1 | 0.6% | 50 | 0.4% |
| United Kingdom | 22 | 15.1% | 26 | 15.3% | 1488 | 11.5% |
| Totals | 146 | 100.0% | 170 | 100.0% | 12,995 | 100.0% |
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