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Building what protects America: Greater Richmond’s defense manufacturing edge
February 27, 2026
Greater Richmond, encompassing the counties of Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield and the City of Richmond, has evolved into a manufacturing center for supporting U.S. defense readiness.
Built on strengths in materials science, specialty chemicals, advanced fibers, metals and precision manufacturing, the region plays a critical role in defense supply chains ranging from ballistic protection and aerospace systems to propulsion chemistry and military medical technologies.
The region is in Virginia’s golden crescent of military defense serving as a logistical nexus for various defense industries including army, naval and aerospace bases from a central location. Located between the nation’s capital and the East Coast’s largest naval base in Norfolk, Greater Richmond has served as a supply chain hub for decades.
- South of the City is the Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR), a branch of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), that is responsible for supplying aviation-related materials and managing the supply chains of weapons systems to military services across the country.
- Plus, the Greater Richmond area is geographically positioned to key landmarks that make this region ideal for advanced manufacturing. Heading up the James River from Chesapeake Bay is the Richmond Marine Terminal, part of the Port of Virginia. This terminal is a growing hub for inland cargo container shipments in the region.
- Located only 26 miles outside of the Richmond area is Fort Lee (formally Fort Gregg-Adams), the Army post and headquarters of United States Army Combined Arms Support Command and home to the Quartermaster School.
Advanced defense materials
Solstice Advanced Material’s $220 million expansion of its ballistic fiber manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County underscores the region’s importance to national defense manufacturing. The longstanding facility (formerly Honeywell Advanced Materials) produces Spectra fiber and composite armor materials used in military helmets, body armor, vehicle protection and naval applications.
“This investment underscores Solstice’s commitment to maintaining technology leadership in high‑performance protective materials, strengthening U.S.‑based manufacturing and enhancing supply chain resiliency for defense‑critical materials”
David Sewell, President and CEO of Solstice Advanced Materials.
The project, supported by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Chesterfield County, will create approximately 100 high‑skill manufacturing and engineering jobs, reinforcing the Richmond Region’s reputation as a premier destination for advanced materials production tied directly to defense readiness.
DuPont Spruance Manufacturing Site, one of the company’s largest manufacturing operations globally, produces Kevlar, Nomex, Tyvek and other advanced aramid fibers used by the U.S. military, law enforcement and homeland security agencies. More than $250 million in reinvestment since 2015 reflects both the site’s mission-critical role and the region’s capacity to support largescale, capital-intensive manufacturing.
David Ledesma, DuPont
“We’re proud of the essential materials we manufacture at Spruance that save lives for so many, including and especially our law enforcement, first responders and our men and women in uniform.”
Chemistry and performance systems
Ethyl Corporation, headquartered in Richmond and part of NewMarket Corp., manufactures fuel and performance additives used in aviation, military propulsion, space launch and defense mobility systems. These operations position Greater Richmond as an essential contributor to national and allied defense supply chains.
Richmond-based Carpenter Co. is the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturer of polyurethane foams and related chemical systems. While defense is not a primary market, the company’s engineered foam materials and specialty chemistries support defense-adjacent applications requiring lightweight structures, impact mitigation, acoustic control and vibration reduction. Carpenter’s presence reinforces Greater Richmond’s ability to support advanced materials headquarters combining R&D, engineering and high-volume manufacturing.
AirGas manufactures defense-grade gases like oxygen and nitrogen which are transported to NASA’s Wallops Air and Space facility in the Virginia Barrier Islands for use in launch delivery systems from their Chesterfield manufacturing location.
Located in Chesterfield, Waubridge Specialty Fabrics manufactures heat and flame-resistant performance fabrics used for various industrial applications including aerospace and military defense. The company has launched two different specialty fabrics lines, Kovenex and Pavenex, and continues to improve safety for many personal protective equipment (PPE) brands.
Innovation, R&D and defense-adjacent manufacturing
Owens & Minor has secured multi-billion-dollar federal contracts to manage the worldwide ordering and distribution of consumable medical and surgical supplies for all major service branches, which supports military treatment facilities across the world. Through large-scale, multi-year contracts, Owens & Minor ensures dependable, high-volume delivery of mission-critical medical products, strengthening the military’s ability to maintain force health, emergency preparedness and global operational capability.
Fujifilm Healthcare Americas, located in Richmond, supports military medical readiness through a multiyear DLA contract supplying advanced surgical imaging systems for facilities.
A strategic and integrated defense manufacturing ecosystem
Greater Richmond’s defense manufacturing ecosystem is reinforced by a skilled engineering and manufacturing workforce, strategic logistics access, shovel‑ready industrial sites and deep experience operating in regulated production environments. Together, these strengths support a well‑integrated defense ecosystem where advanced manufacturing, materials production, secure digital systems and data‑driven engineering work in concert. This combination positions the Richmond Region as a resilient and scalable platform capable of supporting a wide variety of defense missions, while meeting the evolving needs of U.S. defense contractors and advanced manufacturers well into the future.
