作者:新闻记者
菲尔布拉夫镇的经济正在得到提振. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that Texas-based polyethylene pipe maker 管道塑料公司将花费4美元.该生产中心将雇用44名工人,耗资600万美元. 该工厂将位于前Ply Gem工厂在美国.S. 76.
“I think it shows that Columbus County is an excellent destination” for companies that distribute manufacturing products for the southeastern U.S. 和全球, 乔·梅尔文说, 北卡罗来纳州东南地区的营销总监, a regional economic development marketing organization that helped attract Pipeline Plastics.
“让一个公司进入费尔布拉夫的那个空工厂, which has been hit so hard by hurricanes and economic stagnation, I think it’ll be a really nice shot in the arm to that community,史蒂夫·约斯特说, 北卡罗来纳州东南地区的主席.
Ply Gem工厂自2019年以来一直关闭, when parent company Cornerstone Building Brands announced it was moving production out of state.
Pipeline Plastics’ operation “will put some good jobs back into that community, 把买汽油的人带进来, get a bite to eat and bring some cash flow into the town from the salaries,” said Columbus County Economic Development Director Gary Lanier.
扩张计划
连同周四宣布的44个工作岗位, Lanier said Pipeline Plastics will potentially hire more workers once the company installs additional extrusion lines. Cooper said that once the new jobs are in place, the area will benefit from a “nearly 1.6 million payroll impact in the community, each and every year.
“North Carolina’s appeal as a center for manufacturing continues to attract companies from many different industries,库珀说. “我们的重点是建立一支训练有素的劳动力队伍, combined with North Carolina’s outstanding transportation networks and East Coast market access, offers companies like Pipeline Plastics the right ingredients for success.”
The high-performance polyethylene pipe that Pipeline Plastics produces can be used for a variety of purposes, 根据其网站, 包括饮用水, 灌溉, 矿业, 工业, 下水道,石油和天然气的收集和分配.”
“我们很高兴能带来我们的文化, 声誉, 而方法论是最安全的, 业内最具可持续性和效率的公司,迈克·莱瑟斯说, president and chief operating officer of Pipeline Plastics after Cooper’s announcement. “This facility will not only create jobs and careers for this location but be a significant multiplier for the local economy, 从工作到供应商和运输.”
铁路是平局
Work to upfit the plant will begin this week, according to Lanier. He said that raw materials will be brought in on train cars through R.J. 科曼铁路公司和CSX运输公司, 该中心将制造出65英寸宽的管道.
“We are very pleased to be a partner of North Carolina’s Southeast, 合乐888手机客户端下载 and Pipeline Plastics,托德·比文斯说, R的发言人.J. 科曼. “当R. J. 2016年,科曼恢复了该地区的铁路运营, we expressed our commitment to providing exceptional rail service as a competitive freight transportation solution. It is rewarding to see how that commitment is a contributing factor to economic growth, 特别是对于今天的这个社区.”
The plant will run 24 hours a day, with 16 rail cars of raw materials arriving each week.
Melvin said the process of bringing in Pipeline Plastics started in October through a virtual meeting.
“The value proposition was so strong they came in within two weeks,梅尔文说. he explained that the former Ply Gem facility satisfied Pipeline Plastics’ very specific building requirements.
“The 合乐888手机客户端下载 [and] the town of Fair Bluff worked to put together an incentive project to modify a building to meet their needs,梅尔文说.
The project will receive a One North Carolina Fund performance-based grant worth $125,000, 加上杜克能源的技术支持, and Lanier said that work is underway on a building reuse and restoration grant to offset some improvements to the facility. Lanier estimated the uplift costs to eventually exceed $900,000. Additionally, Southeastern Community College will provide workforce training, Melvin said.
“The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment,库珀的公告称.
一周内发布两个公告
The news of Pipeline Plastics follows the economic development announcement of Contract Lumber, which opened a new facility that will soon be manufacturing floor joists and trusses alongside R.J. 乔治亚太平洋路上的科曼铁路.
“We hoped to have several strong announcements as the pandemic eased and the economy picked up steam, so it’s good to see it happening with the second new jobs announcement in a week,莱斯·高说, chair of the Columbus County Jobs Foundation and publisher of The News Reporter. “The Ply Gem plant was a natural fit for a pipe manufacturing company, 我们的团队提出了一份强有力的提案. Like Contract Lumber, [Pipeline Plastics] will be a heavy user of R.J. 科曼铁路公司,这是另一个胜利. 这是一个更大的好处,这将有助于公平虚张声势.”
Yost said this is a reflection of an increase in manufacturing activity within the region.
“这类公司希望在市场上做得更深, 在更高的地方, 更强劲的经济增长或预期增长,约斯特说。. “That’s our mission, marketing this region nationally, globally.”
Lanier said he knows many people who used to work at the Ply Gem plant are interested in working there again. These former workers, Lanier said, now drive upwards of 45 minutes one way for work elsewhere.
“They’re super friendly people and it’s a great place to live,” Lanier said of Fair Bluff.