RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Nussbaum Lifts, a manufacturer of automotive service equipment, will locate a new facility in Gaston County. The company plans to create 83 jobs and invest $7.6 million dollars over three years in Gastonia. The project was made possible in part by a $137,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“My first priority is creating jobs,” said Gov. Perdue. “Our top-notch business climate continues to attract manufacturers to North Carolina. These companies know our customized job training programs will provide a highly-skilled workforce that’s essential to competing in a global economy.”
Nussbaum Lifts, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Otto Nussbaum GmbH, is one of the largest automotive service equipment manufacturers in the world. Nussbaum Lifts is headquartered in Kehl, Germany, although its products have been sold in the U.S. since 1984. The new facility will produce automotive service lifts and house engineering, sales and service operations for the company.
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $51,875. The Gaston County average annual wage is $34,112.
“The opening of our new Nussbaum facility offices is a major step towards providing local service and support for our United States and North American customers,” said Nussbaum’s President Steffen Nussbaum. “It is also a very significant milestone towards transforming Nussbaum from a primarily European company to a true multinational enterprise. This new location will enable us to support our growing list of North American customers with the latest automotive service technology.”
The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.
North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 60,000 jobs and $11 billion in investments have been created since 2001. Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Gaston County, Golden LEAF Foundation, City of Gastonia and the Gaston County Economic Development Commission.
For more information about Nussbaum Lifts, including job opportunities, go to www.nussbaum-lifts.de.