Seven rural communities received state grant requests totaling $2.6 million, which will go toward creating 321 jobs and attracting $53.7 million in private investment, according to a release from the governor’s office.
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority, part of the N.C. Department of Commerce, approved the grants.
Here are the locations with the grants and how the money will be spent:
- Halifax County will receive $500,000 to support the reuse of a 700,000-square-foot building in Roanoke Rapids. Five Goods, a company that focuses on food importation and wholesaling, plans to open here in a project expected to create 50 jobs with a private investment of $2.3 million.
- Stanly County will receive $375,000 to support the reuse of a 227,700-square-foot building in New London. Clayton Supply will build a facility for manufactured housing that is expected to create 263 jobs and an investment of $46.5 million tied to this grant. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate bought Clayton in 2003 for $1.7 billion.
- Chatham County will receive $100,000 to help renovate a 204,832-square-foot building in Goldston. The building is occupied by Conveyor Tech, a manufacturer of equipment in the electronics assembly industry, and one of two printed circuit board manufacturers in the United States. The company expects to create 20 jobs and invest $899,000 in this project.
- Pitt County will receive $180,000 to help renovate a 92,000-square-foot building in Greenville. Catalent Pharma Solutions, a full-service contract development and manufacturing company that specializes in novel oral solid dosage forms, occupies the building. The company provides pharmaceutical development, analytical testing, and commercial manufacturing services. Through this project, Catalent plans to create 20 jobs and invest $2.9 million.
- Wayne County will receive $350,000 to help with a 29,000-square-foot expansion of a Mount Olive building. The building is occupied by Goshen Engineering, an industrial automation company that designs, builds, and installs engineering solutions in a variety of industrial and commercial sectors, including the food production, automotive and electronics sectors. The company expects to create 40 jobs and invest more than $1 million in this project.
- Nash County will receive $750,000 to assist with creation of a lift station and additional sewer line expansion for Middlesex Corporate Centre. This project will open up more than 170 more acres of the park for industrial usage.
- Town of New London will receive $384,793 to expand access to its sewer system. The funding will allow for a new connection and expansion of the sewer line. Heibar, a site-building division of Clayton Homes, will use the line, which will also provide sewer access to adjoining land.