Premix Group, a plastics manufacturer, will create more than 30 new jobs in Gaston County, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders announced today. The company will invest $47 million to locate its first U.S. manufacturing facility in North Carolina.
“We are delighted to welcome Premix to North Carolina, where we have the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeastern United States,” said Secretary Sanders. “Global companies need a world-class workforce to execute its advanced manufacturing expansions and our workforce development strategies and training partnerships will help support those expansions.”
Based in Finland, Premix Group is a family-owned company that manufactures electrically conductive plastics. The company’s plastic compounds have been distributed across the globe for more than three decades. Premix serves the automotive, diagnostics, electronics, life sciences, and other industrial sectors. The new facility will be in Gaston County’s Apple Creek Corporate Center and will include manufacturing, warehouse, office and lab space for its diagnostic testing operations.
“The new capacity will improve Premix’s global supply capability and mitigate risks in global supply chains,” says Jari-Matti Mehto, President and CEO of Premix, Inc. “With the new U.S. plant, we will improve our ability to serve our customers in the important U.S. market.”
Although wages will vary for each position, the average annual salary for the new positions is $54,063, which exceeds Gaston County’s overall average annual wage of $44,781. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $1.7 million.
A performance-based grant of $75,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Premix’s location to North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
“Congratulations to Premix on selecting North Carolina and Gaston County for its first U.S. facility,” said N.C. Senator Kathy Harrington. “We appreciate the diligent work of the local, state and regional partners that helped recruit this growing company to our community.”
“This is outstanding news for our region and the entire state,” said N.C. Representative John A. Torbett. “These new jobs and investments affirm Gaston County’s reputation for international companies that want to their presence in the U.S. market.”
In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Gaston College, Gaston County, the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, and Rutherford Electric.
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