DetraPel Inc., a producer of PFAS-free and fluorine-free protective coatings, will invest $3.5 million to relocate its headquarters from the Boston suburb of Framingham, Massachusetts, to southwest Charlotte. The move will bring more than 30 jobs, according to a release.
DetraPel specializes in synthesizing and manufacturing protective coating free of PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” that have been linked to a wide range of health risks in both human and animal studies. DetraPel serves food and beverage, beauty, healthcare, textile and electronics industries.
CEO David Zamarin founded the company in 2013 at age 15. If the story sounds familiar, Zamarin appeared in 2018 on the TV show “Shark Tank” where he received offers from four of the five celebrity sharks. He accepted an offer from Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban.
“As DetraPel has evolved into a leading barrier coating company, we have sought a location that reflects our ambitious vision,” Zamarin says in a release from the city of Charlotte.
Nearly 70% of DetraPel’s domestic business is concentrated in the Southeast. Jobs include engineers, research and development, technicians and back-office operations with an average annual salary of $71,794. The average salary in Mecklenburg County is $86,830 and $67,474 for the state as a whole.
DetraPel will start by moving into a 40,000-square-foot facility by spring and summer, with plans to scale to 70,000 square feet by 2027. The expansion will triple the company’s production capacity to 90,000 gallons per day, according to DetraPel.
City officials did not disclose if any incentives were associated with the deal.