Industrial Development Briefs: Virginia DRPT, BMI Group, Blue Moon Metals, Gulf Inland Logistics Park

Virginia DRPT

The Virginia DRPT on Oct. 16 announced the approval of a $750,000 RIA grant to Perdue, marking the first RIA grant awarded in FY2026. This funding will support the company’s expansion at its facility in the City of Chesapeake, Va.

Perdue is a division of Perdue Foods which is based in Salisbury, Md. The agribusiness division in Chesapeake, Va., crushes soybeans and other agricultural commodities to make oils used in cooking and other applications and exports soy and other grains to international markets. Chesapeake’s proximity to a deepwater terminal made Virginia the most suitable location for this expansion, the agency noted. Perdue applied for RIA grant funds in the amount of $750,000 to construct 2,085 feet of new track to serve its facility in Chesapeake.

With a total investment of $61.9 million, Perdue’s expanded Chesapeake location will feature crushing and oil processing equipment, a second storage pit, more efficient loading and unloading, and a transload facility. The project’s rail component is valued at approximately $3.1 million and will construct approximately 2,085 feet of new track. Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad, a Virginia short line railroad, will serve the site.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved Perdue’s grant request of $750,000 to assist with rail construction, “enhancing the facility’s capability to transport agricultural products.” The Chesapeake location will facilitate the import of soy and grain products from farms in the Mid-Atlantic, “while significantly increasing the export capabilities of the facility to ship products to overseas markets through the Port of Virginia.”

“This project is a fantastic example of how strategic rail investments can fuel economic growth and strengthen Virginia’s position in global trade,” said DRPT Director Tiffany Robinson. “We are thrilled to partner with Perdue AgriBusiness to expand rail access in Chesapeake thereby connecting Virginia’s farmers and producers to new markets, creating jobs, and advancing sustainable freight transportation across the Commonwealth.”

The expansion of Perdue’s Chesapeake location, DRPT says, “underscores the state’s commitment to supporting businesses through strategic rail investments that enhance freight mobility and promote sustainable transportation solutions.”

BMI Group

The BMI Group on Oct. 17 announced that it has completed the acquisition of the former Mackenzie Paper Mill, “marking a key step in advancing industrial readiness across British Columbia’s northern resource corridor.”

Willmarck, Outdoor, Mill Yard (CNW Group/BMI Group)

The 885-acre property, which includes approximately 345,000 square feet of industrial buildings and direct rail access, will be re-established as Willmarck Mackenzie, “a name that reflects both geography and legacy.” The name Willmarck, BMI Group says, honors Williston Lake, one of the region’s defining landmarks and reservoirs of energy, while “marck” carries an older meaning of borderlands or shared ground as places where communities met, traded, and defined their place together.

As a strategic site with regional potential, Willmarck represents the place where forests, waters, and industry converge to shape the future on the shores of Williston Lake, BMI Group said.

Located in a resource-rich district with established forestry and mining infrastructure, Willmarck offers multimodal transport access through CN and key highway networks, the company noted. “The site’s scale and connectivity position it for adaptive reuse across a range of industrial and logistics applications consistent with BMI’s readiness and renewal approach.”

The property, the company says, complements BMI’s national portfolio of former paper and industrial sites, including the award-winning Bioveld Niagara, Abitibi Connex in Iroquois Falls, and Norderra in Baie-Comeau, which have been repositioned as multimodal, logistics, and critical-mineral hubs serving Canada’s next-generation resource and manufacturing economy.

The project will be supported by Niagara Port Services (NPS), a BMI Ventures company specializing in multimodal logistics, warehousing, and site-readiness operations. NPS has played a leading role in the success of Bioveld Niagara, developing its logistics and tenant attraction model through partnerships with the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority and major industrial operators.

“At NPS, we know how getting logistics right can unlock new opportunities,” said Morgan Kernohan, General Manager, Niagara Port Services. “Mackenzie has the core ingredients, rail, highway access, land, and a seasoned workforce. We’re going to put our Niagara multimodal model to work up here to help get things moving again.”

With plans to work alongside local and Indigenous partners, BMI says it will collaborate with community and civic leadership “to evaluate opportunities that align with community priorities, regional resources, and long-term goals.”

“Our town has weathered its share of ups and downs,” said Mayor of Mackenzie Joan Atkinson. “But this is a community that shows up for one another. We’re resilient and ready to work with BMI to explore new opportunities for the next generation.”

“Our work begins with listening,” added BMI Group CEO Paul Veldman. “The Mackenzie Mill was an important part of Northern BC’s economy, and Willmarck represents an opportunity for renewal shaped by community partnership, the land, and the people who call it home.”

Blue Moon Metals

Blue Moon Metals Inc. on Oct. 14 announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated Oct. 10, 2025, with Goods LG LLC to acquire the Springer Mine, Mill and all associated infrastructure required for mineral processing in Pershing County, Nev.

Completion of the transaction, Blue Moon says, is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions precedent, including the negotiation of a definitive agreement, the extension of certain water rights used by the Mill, and other customary conditions for transactions of this nature. In exchange for exclusivity on the property, Blue Moon has provided a $500,000 non-refundable cash payment to the seller.

The Springer Mill historically processed tungsten and has an Ammonium Paratungstate (APT) circuit including autoclave and related reagent systems. The mill can readily be modified to produce concentrates from critical metals from alternate sources. Blue Moon says it intends to develop a hub and spoke business model by acquiring and developing smaller, high grade underground critical metals mines in the western U.S. and processing the mineralized material at the Springer Mill. This strategy, Blue Moon says, is in-line with U.S. federal government efforts “to promote domestic production of critical metals and decrease dependence on foreign supply chains.”

The Springer Property consists of approximately 11,280 acres of mineral claims and fee lands. The mineral resource is located entirely on private fee lands. The historical mineral resource on the property is:

• Historical estimate of indicated resources of 355,000 tons @ 0.537% WO3.
• Historical estimate of inferred resources of 1,933,600 tons @ 0.493% WO3.
• The mine infrastructure includes a vertical shaft developed down to 1,600 feet, a headframe and three compartment hoist and associated equipment.

Blue Moon Mine owned by the Company in California could serve as one such feed, which is about 375 miles from the Mill by road. The primary Union Pacific (UP) rail spur is seven miles away from the Mill and the site was historically served by a railway siding that could potentially be reinstated, according to the company. The Mill is on private land with sufficient space to expand additional processing lines, and abundant room for tailings expansion, as well as strong electrical and road infrastructure. The Mill has several water rights that are in good standing in various stages, with some requiring extensions which will be conditions precedent to this transaction closing as described above, Blue Moon said. Assuming all conditions precedent are met, the transaction is expected to close over the following months.

Separately, on the back of this transaction and its U.S. asset base, the company is also announcing that it intends to apply to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market (NASDAQ) with likely listing completed in Q1 2026.

“The acquisition of the Mill opens up a huge opportunity for the company to develop smaller higher-grade mines covering the critical minerals space, including base metals, antimony and tungsten in the U.S.,” said Blue Moon CEO Christian Kargl-Simard. “The time to be building mines in the US is now, and our team is specifically strong in construction, operations and mine finance. The decision to apply and list on the NASDAQ is a critical step in our growth strategy focusing on the critical metals supply chain, while rapidly advancing the Company. Recently our liquidity has been larger on many days on the OTCQX than our TSXV listing, so this is just a natural progression.”

The Mill includes the following assets generally in good condition, permits and rights:

Mine & Mill Facilities

• Process plant ~1,200 tpd capacity to produce tungsten concentrates and/or APT.
• Electrical infrastructure including main substation (69kV to 5kV), transformers, switchgear, MCCs, soft starters, substations.
• Crusher & conveying system.
• Ancillary facilities: hoist house, mine substation, maintenance pads, warehouse, offices.
• Tailings storage facilities (conventional and dry stack).
• Roads, tankage, and other miscellaneous surface infrastructure associated with the operation.
• Water rights.

Permits & Authorizations

Transfer of major permits including but not limited to:

• Water Pollution Control Permit.
• Air Quality Operating Permit Class II.
• Dam Permits.
• Reclamation Permit & Bond.
• Industrial Artificial Pond Permit.

Gulf Inland Logistics Park

Gulf Inland Logistics Park, managed and developed by Liberty Development Partners, officially celebrated the grand opening of Phase One of development at the CMC Railyard on Oct. 10, “marking a major milestone in regional economic development.” The event highlighted the completion of Phase One infrastructure and the arrival of seven anchor tenants, representing more than 400 new jobs and approximately $250 million in capital investment to the Dayton area.

“This day represents nearly two decades of vision and determination,” said Marcus Goering, Principal at Liberty Development Partners. “Since we first identified this property in 2007, we’ve invested in the infrastructure and partnerships needed to create the premier rail-served industrial facility on the Gulf Coast. Today, we celebrate not just what we’ve accomplished, but what is yet to come.”

The recent grand opening celebration featured remarks from elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (36th District of Texas), Texas House of Representatives member Janis Holt (District 18), Liberty County Judge Jay Knight, and City of Dayton Mayor Martin Mudd. Congressman Babin was instrumental in securing a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant that helped fund the construction of the first road into Gulf Inland Logistics Park.

“(Gulf Inland Logistics Park’s) impact on the economy of this region will be felt for generations to come,” Congressman Babin said. “Gulf Inland Logistics park is a prime example of private, local, state, and federal partners all working and coming together to create opportunities for the infrastructure needed to support job growth and capital investment, which will keep America and Texas great.”

The event also highlighted community engagement, with students from the Dayton High School hospitality program assisting with the celebration. Local businesses contributed to the festivities, including Weaver’s BBQ (recognized as a 2025 Texas Monthly BBQ Top 50 honorable mention), Sweet Scoops ice cream, and Liberty Sweet Treats.

“What we’re building here is critical for our young people and the future of Liberty County,” Goering said. “Liberty County is experiencing over 30% population growth and is poised for continued expansion. Gulf Inland Logistics Park is the engine driving job opportunities and economic development that benefit our entire community.”

The park’s strategic positioning at the intersection of major transportation corridors “makes it uniquely attractive to industrial operators,” Liberty Development Partners said. Gulf Inland Logistics Park offers immediate access to UP’s and BNSF’s major processing yards, combined with proximity to U.S. Highway 90, the Grand Parkway, State Highway 146, Interstate 10, and Interstate 59. The facility is located just 30 minutes northeast of Houston, 30 minutes from the Port of Houston (the largest U.S. port by tonnage), and within 100 miles of four additional Texas ports.

“Gulf Inland Logistics Park represents the intersection of rail and road – the most efficient location on the Gulf Coast for rail-served industrial, manufacturing, distribution, and operations,” Goering said. “Our tenants enjoy days faster transit times compared to other satellite rail developments, providing significant competitive advantages.”

Since June 2022, Liberty Development Partners has successfully located seven companies at Gulf Inland Logistics Park:

• Phoenix Oil Inc.
• Omnisource LLC
• EGF Energy Partners
• GPL Development
• United States Lime & Minerals Inc.
• Chemvest Holdings US Inc.
• Midcontinent Steel and Wire (Deacero Division)

The development, Liberty Development Partners says, has already delivered substantial infrastructure improvements, including three new roads, more than 20 miles of new railroad track, and nearly one million square feet of completed vertical construction. Phase One tenants are already creating hundreds of jobs, with additional operations launching this fall.

Projections indicate that Gulf Inland Logistics Park will create more than 10,000 jobs and bring more than $2 billion in capital investment to the region over the coming years, positioning Liberty County as a key hub for industrial growth.

With Phase Two now in motion, Liberty Development Partners says it is pursuing new tenant opportunities and preparing to announce the eighth and final tenant from Phase One. The company also anticipates expansion into additional phases as demand continues to grow.

“This is just the beginning,” Goering said. “We’ve built the foundation. Now we’re ready to scale.”