The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 15 grants or loans on June 18, totaling more than $6 million with the commitment of 1,322 new jobs.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)/loans approved include:
- City of Lexington (Davidson County): $750,000 loan to Masterbrand Cabinets to support the reuse of a vacant industrial building located at the Sapona Business Park. The company will invest $8 million in the renovation and new equipment and has committed to creating 38 new jobs.
- City of Lexington (Davidson County): $750,000 to lend to Piedmont Candy to support the reuse of an industrial building vacant for ten years. The company will invest $12 million and create 38 new jobs.
- Town of Mocksville (Davie County): $221,760 to construct 732 linear feet of rail spur to support an expansion of Avgol American’s existing manufacturing plant. The company has committed to create 50 jobs.
- City of Asheboro (Randolph County): $490,000 to provide two rail spurs that will allow Technimark to construct a new 153,000 square foot manufacturing plant. Technimark is the fourth largest employer in Randolph County and will employ 163 people at the new plant and invest $30 million for construction and new equipment.
- Robeson County: $240,000 to construct 2,100 linear foot rail spur to allow Asbury Carbons to locate at the vacant Fex Straw plant and create 16 new jobs.
- Town of St. Pauls (Robeson County): $1,000,000 to provide public sewer service to a proposed new poultry processing plant to be constructed by Sanderson Farms. CDBG funds will be used to upgrade collection lines and pump stations that directly service the plant. Sanderson Farms has committed to creating 900 new jobs.
The Industrial Development Fund Utility Account grants approved include:
- Robeson County: $208,000 to assist with a rail siding on behalf of Asbury Carbons. The company has committed to creating 16 new jobs. The same jobs committed for this project are also committed for the CDBG program.
- Town of Murfreesboro (Hertford County): $602,000 to assist with the construction of a new potable well. Student enrollment at Chowan University has doubled in recent years, increasing the demand on the town’s water supply which limits the town’s ability to develop available industrial and brownfield sites.
- Town of Elizabethtown (Bladen County): $417,103 to assist with phase 1 of a two phase airport industrial park expansion. The first phase includes a taxiway extension and extending an access road to newly acquired parcels.
Building Reuse Program grants/loans approved:
- The City of Morganton (Burke County): $410,000 to support the expansion of a building constructed in 1963 and occupied by Duralee Fine Furniture for the last 10 years. The company has committed to creating 41 new jobs.
- Duplin County: $106,218.10 to support the reuse of a building in Warsaw constructed in 1990 and vacant for five years. Villari Bros. Foods aims to utilize the space. The company currently operates a facility in Warsaw but there are no expected changes to employment and no closures anticipated at the current locations.
- The City of Cherryville (Gaston County): $133,021 to support the reuse of a building constructed in 1954 and vacant for three years. Modern Polymers, Inc. is an expanded polymers molding company serving the automotive and housing industries. The company has committed to creating 11 new jobs.
- Granville County: $200,000 to support the expansion of a building constructed in 2003 and occupied by NT Techno USA for the last 11 years. NT Techno USA develops precision tooling systems for manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, medical, and die mold industries. The company has committed to creating 20 new jobs.
- Macon County: $87,777 to support the expansion of a building constructed in 1947 occupied since then by Nantahala Meats. Brasstown Beef, LLC has acquired the assets of Nantahala Meats and will continue meat processing operations in the facility. The company and its sister company, Ridgeland Farm, currently operate a facility in Brasstown. There are no expected changes to employment and no closures anticipated at the current location. The company has committed to creating nine new jobs.
- Rockingham County: $500,000 to support the expansion of a building constructed in 1917 and occupied by Karastan Rug Mills, a division of Mohawk Industries, for the last 87 years. The company has committed to creating 40 new jobs.
- The Town of North Wilkesboro (Wilkes County): $62,500 to support the reuse of a building constructed in 1965 and vacant for three years. Cub Creek Kitchens and Baths manufactures and installs countertops and shower enclosures. The company has committed to creating five new jobs.
The RIA was established as part of the Rural Economic Development Division to assist with the review and approval of grants for rural areas in the state. For information on how to leverage these grant programs for your community, contact our team at the Department of Commerce.