Once again, Virginia received a podium ranking from Forbes.com in its annual Best States for Business ranking. Coming in at No. 2, Virginia is the top state on the East Coast and has held first or second overall since the ranking began in 2006.

The ranking is based on six categories: costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, current economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.

The Commonwealth was ranked No. 1 in the category of regulatory environment. According to Forbes.com, “The state ranks on top of the regulatory category because of its strong incentive offerings and business friendly government policies." With right-to-work laws, an unemployment tax burden 32 percent lower than the national average, and a six percent corporate tax rate unchanged since 1972, companies have improved their bottom lines just by locating in Virginia.

In the important category of labor supply, Virginia came in at No. 2 and was the top state on the East Coast. With 4.1 million motivated and highly skilled workers and more than 500,000 students enrolled in Virginia’s top-ranked colleges and universities, the Commonwealth has a strong pipeline ready to fill present and future industry needs.

Virginia was ranked No. 4 in the quality of life category, a metric that is gaining increasing importance for companies making relocation decisions. Virginia has one of the nation’s highest concentrations of historic resources and is blessed with beautiful mountains, rivers and beaches, as well as 35 state parks, 22 national parks and more than 500 trails, providing an abundance of recreational opportunities for residents.

This top ranking from Forbes.com adds to the distinguished list of honors Virginia has received this year, including winning the 2011 Competitiveness Award from Site Selection magazine, a No. 2 ranking on Pollina Corporate Real Estate’s Top Pro-Business States for 2012, and No. 3 rankings on Business Facilities’ 2012 State Rankings Report and CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business list, to name a few. 

To learn why Virginia continues to receive top recognition from the industry as the premier state for business, click here.

Last week, Carmeuse Lime & Stone announced it will expand its Frederick County limestone mining and quarrying operation through a $45 million investment, creating 25 new jobs.

The investment will be used to purchase new machinery and equipment, including a new modern kiln, to meet increased demand for the company’s products. With new EPA regulations around the production of “clean coal,” demand for lime products has increased due to lime’s ability to absorb sulfur and reduce emissions.

With a Belgium parent company and 90 facilities across the globe, the largest producer of lime and limestone products in North America certainly had its pick of locations. Carmeuse Lime & Stone chose Virginia not once, but five times, through its multiple operations across the Commonwealth. 

Carmeuse Lime & Stone has found success in Frederick County since 1959. The company’s decision to grow this location was based upon the region’s highly skilled workforce, wealth of natural resources, and supporting infrastructure.

With trucking as the company’s main distribution channel, Virginia’s superior logistics network helped seal the deal. The Frederick County location offers convenient access to I-81, I-70 and the I-66 connection to I-95, allowing the company to easily reach Eastern, Midwestern and Canadian markets.

In addition, the Virginia Inland Port is only a few miles away, allowing the company to access international markets through the world-class Port of Virginia.

To learn why Virginia is consistently ranked America’s Top State for Business, and why manufacturing companies keep coming back to the Commonwealth, click here.

In its fifth edition of Rich States, Poor States the American Legislative Exchange Council rated Virginia in the top three for its 2012 Economic Outlook Ranking. This forward-looking ranking comprises 15 equally weighted state policy variables, including personal and corporate tax rates, as well as worker’s compensation costs, right-to-work status and even the quality of the state legislature.

As the highest ranked state in the region, Virginia definitively outshined its competition. With a corporate tax rate of six percent that remains unchanged since 1972, a right-to-work regulatory environment, and an unemployment tax burden that is 32 percent lower than the national average, it is easy to see why this is the second consecutive year the Commonwealth has made the top three in this study.

Virginia’s pro-growth economic policies offer companies long-term incentives to invest in the Commonwealth. For example, Virginia was able to successfully compete against nearby Maryland on a number of recent headquarters relocation announcements, including Northrop Grumman, ITT Exelis, Bechtel Corp. (divisional headquarters), Acentia and Alpha Natural Resources.

To learn why Virginia is consistently ranked America’s Top State for Business click here.