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Bland County and Southwest Virginia are becoming a hub for tourism and business. The interstate access, scenic vistas, historical landmarks, outdoor activities and abundant rivers, lakes and streams make this area a mecca for tourists and businesses alike.
Bland County borders West Virginia, is strategically located along I-77, and it’s only 13 miles from where I-77 intersects with I-81 in Wythe County. Bland County is 90 miles west of Roanoke and 250 miles from Richmond, Virginia’s capital, and is midway between Myrtle Beach and the Midwest, making it a convenient stopping point for families looking for more than just the Grand Strand experience on their vacation.
Leading employers in this county include ABB Power T&D Company, Inc., a global company that operates a dry transformer manufacturing facility here, and is Bland County’s largest private employer, with over 350 employees.
Another successful employer in Bland County is General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc., the nation’s largest independent marketer of pharmaceutical and healthcare products directly to physicians.
Another successful business located in Rocky Gap in Bland County is American Mine Research Inc., manufacturer of a complete line of products for the mining and industrial world. Founded in 1975, this company was one of four Virginia companies in the first graduating class of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s AIM (Accessing International Markets) export development program.
Much of the land in Bland County is forest with portions of the Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Trail included in the county’s boundaries. Hunting, camping, fishing and hiking are recreational opportunities available in Bland County that has been described as a hunter’s paradise for bear, deer and small game.
