Web software pioneer Unanet is expanding its Loudoun County footprint. The company, which was founded in 1988 by CEO Fran Craig, is moving from its current location to a 24,000 square-foot facility in the Loudoun Gateway office park in Sterling. This $7.3 million investment will result in a larger space that allows the company to add 100 more employees over the next few years.
?? Early look inside @UnanetTech's new 24,000 square-foot facility in the #Loudoun Gateway office park: https://t.co/Lfqd1GabQk pic.twitter.com/wfv5H2KYAQ
— Loudoun Biz (@LoudounBiz) December 20, 2016
“It is vitally important that we keep growing businesses like Unanet in Loudoun County,” said Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Broad Run District Supervisor Ron Meyer. “The Broad Run District is proud to be home to many great tech companies, and this board has made a commitment to provide a supportive business environment where all companies can thrive.”
Unanet has been headquartered in Loudoun since 2003. The company serves more than 1,000 organizations nationwide, including a strong customer base of government contractors located in the national capital area. Before deciding to grow their business in Loudoun, Unanet actively considered other localities.
“We’re proud of our Loudoun roots, and are excited to continue our strong relationship with the county,” Craig said. “We worked with the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development throughout the process and they have helped us every step of the way. A key goal in founding Unanet was to create quality careers and opportunity for employees. We are delighted to be headquartered here, and to locate all of our software development in Loudoun County.”
Because Loudoun was in competition for this expansion project, the Board of Supervisors offered Unanet an incentive package worth $125,000 to expand in Loudoun. “The incentive included a waiver of permit fees, along with a cash component,” said Economic Development’s Executive Director Buddy Rizer. “Our board has specific criteria for business incentives, and this deal met all of those criteria. This is a good deal for Loudoun; per board direction, the county will be paid back in direct tax revenue in under three years.”
When Craig was profiled by the Washington Post, the paper reported that Unanet grossed nearly $20 million per year and has grown its revenue by about 20 percent per year over the past decade.
“Unanet’s long-term success confirms that Loudoun has the ideal workforce and amenities for I.T. businesses,” Rizer said. “We’re very proud to have such a top-tier software company expand in Loudoun, and we look forward to their continued prosperity.”
Growing tech companies looking for a prime location are invited to contact Rizer at 1-(800)-LOUDOUN.
