Carolina Nonwovens, LLC Expanding And Doubling Workforce In Catawba County | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Raleigh, N.C.     Governor Pat McCrory, N.C. Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla III and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. announced today that Carolina Nonwovens, LLC will be expanding its facilities in North Carolina and doubling its workforce with the creation of 35 new jobs over the next three years. The company plans to invest $12.25 million in the town of Maiden over the same period.

    "Carolina Nonwovens is a homegrown company in one of North Carolina's traditional manufacturing industries," said Governor McCrory. "This expansion shows that North Carolina is still attracting state-of-the-art manufacturers that make products that have been part of our industrial fabric for centuries."

    Carolina Nonwovens is a subsidiary of Washington, N.C. based National Spinning Company, a traditional textile manufacturer in North Carolina since the 1950s. National Spinning acquired Carolina Nonwovens in 2012 and has since tripled its workforce to today's 24 hour/seven day a week operation. Its customers include Fortune 100 companies requiring high-quality nonwoven solutions. The company currently has 32 employees in North Carolina who make nonwoven fabrics of various thicknesses used to replace foam in outdoor cushions and bedding; noise-dampening insulation in automobiles and appliances; and many other industrial applications. The majority of these products are made with recycled raw materials. The company's expansion includes an investment in state of the art technology, enabling an even broader range of products.

    "We want our manufacturers to expand at home in North Carolina," said Secretary Skvarla. "Carolina Nonwovens will double its employment here because nothing compares to our highly skilled workforce and our great textile heritage."

    The new jobs include technicians, machine operators and engineers with varied salaries by position. The added payroll will be approximately $1 million annually.

    James W. Chesnutt, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of National Spinning Co., expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the staff of the Economic Development Partnership of NC, the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, the Town of Maiden and Catawba County. He said, "Our company is pleased to be in a position to expand production capacity and provide additional jobs to the citizens of the Catawba Valley. Our experience with the quality and reliability of the local workforce has been excellent. We are very excited about our future."

    The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $70,000. 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.

    "Carolina Nonwovens has been a great corporate citizen of our region for years," said Senator Andy Wells. "I applaud its decision to grow and expand right here at home."

    "By more than doubling its workforce, Carolina Nonwovens is having a big impact on our community," said Representative Mitchell Setzer. "I look forward to working with Governor McCrory to bring more jobs to our part of North Carolina."

    "Someday you may be driving a car or using an appliance with this made in North Carolina product," said Representative Jay Adams. "We appreciate Carolina Nonwovens commitment to our region."

    In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C., other partners that helped with this project include North Carolina Community College System, Duke Energy, Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, Catawba County and the town of Maiden.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov