Press Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alan Fogg, Director of Communications
afogg@fceda.org, 703-790-0600

Fairfax County Companies Add More Than 1,300 Technology Jobs

Twenty companies expand or relocate in October and November

Fairfax County, Virginia, December 18, 2000 — Twenty corporations — including 10 firms new to the county and the telecommunications firm recently named the fastest-growing company in the nation — announced in October and November that they would expand in or relocate operations to Fairfax County, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) announced. The companies will add 1,384 new jobs to the economy, the FCEDA said.

Among the companies announcing expansions was PRIMUS Telecommunications Group Inc., a global facilities-based total service provider that offers an integrated portfolio of data, Internet, e-commerce, applications hosting and voice services. Last month Deloitte & Touche ranked PRIMUS the fastest-growing U.S. technology company based on revenue growth between 1995 and 1999. The company operates in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

"As a facilities-based global total solutions provider, it was important for us to have our headquarters in an area with a highly trained and educated workforce," said John F. DePodesta, co-founder and executive vice president of PRIMUS. "Fairfax County is a highly desirable location for PRIMUS because it gives us ready access to the necessary resources that have helped our company prosper."

"Fairfax County is one of the world's premier telecommunications hubs, but it is especially exciting when a home-grown company like PRIMUS expands and becomes an industry leader," said Dr. Gerald L. Gordon, President of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.

Other corporate expansions include: ACS, a leading IT systems integrator for commercial and government clients, which broke ground in November for its Northern Virginia Technology Center; San Mateo, Calif.-based Siebel Systems, the world's leading provider of eBusiness applications; Autometric, a Boeing subsidiary that provides imaging and simulation services; and IntraDAT, a German developer of Linux-based e-commerce software.

Operations new to Fairfax County include the Korea Venture Center, which the South Korea government opened to help Korean and Korean-American businesses expand in the U.S., and two Korean companies at the center: PMI, a wireless communication application developer, and Progen, a biotechnology firm. Also new to the county:

Fairchild Dornier, a German-American aircraft design, manufacture and services company that moved front-office operations from San Antonio, Texas; the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld; and S3Networks, a Chicago-based professional services firm that provides e-business and B2B infrastructure services to large companies.

Some of the largest relocations and expansions during the last two months are:

* Foreign-owned firm.                                                              

Typically, every new job added spins off two to three jobs in the secondary economy. Technology jobs also typically pay higher-than-average salaries, which is one reason the Claritas research firm in June found Fairfax County's median household income the highest in the nation.

For technology companies, Fairfax County offers a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, access to domestic and international markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, a well-educated workforce and an excellent quality of life.  

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority assists businesses by identifying possible sites and facilities, and is a source for up-to-date demographic, real estate and economic statistics. The FCEDA's Capital Attraction Program links entrepreneurs and startup firms with financing sources, and the FCEDA maintains marketing offices in London, Frankfurt and Tokyo. Visit the FCEDA's Web page at www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org.

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