A company that manufactures plastic molded parts for the automotive industry will invest $12.75 million in Gaston County to build a manufacturing site. Heyco-Werk will also create 34 jobs in the county, according to a release.
Founded in 1937 in Remscheid, Germany, by Max and Ernst Heynen, the Heyco Group has eight sites worldwide and employs approximately 1,250 people. It is a leading supplier of products and engineering services in the area of metal and plastic processing technology.
Heyco-Werk USA was established in 2014 and began manufacturing in Emporia, Virginia, in 2019. The company manufactures precision plastic molded parts for the automotive industry as well as various industrial markets. Manufacturing automotive products for all BMW SUV models worldwide, this expansion to a second location in North Carolina will help meet the growing needs of BMW and other European car manufacturers in North America, according to a release.
Heyco-Werk plans a 65,000-square-foot production facility and show room for its injection molding at a 10-acre site at the Apple Creek Corporate Center, located just west of the town of Dallas. That’s about 70 miles from BMW’s massive manufacturing operation in Greer, South Carolina.
“We are thrilled to expand our manufacturing footprint to North Carolina and join the close network of German-based manufacturers in the region,” said Daniel Dittmar, CEO and president of Heyco-Werk USA. “HEYCO benefits from the central location that provides access to major hubs to our specialized supply chains and strong customer base. We are excited to invest in new technologies and to create high-quality manufacturing jobs in Gaston County.”
Construction on the building should begin in April with the production of products in 2026, Dittmar says.
North Carolina has more than 250 automotive manufacturing companies, says N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders.
Salaries will have an average annual wage of $63,382, which exceeds the Gaston County average of $46,351.
“I’m happy we can continue to provide jobs in Gaston County and especially when the average way is considerably higher than our average,” says Chad Brown, chairman of the Gaston County Board of Commission.
A performance-based grant of $75,000 from the One North Carolina Fund is planned.