Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC, a leading supplier of automotive glass products and aftermarket glass services, plans to open a manufacturing facility in Elkin. The company anticipates the creation of more than 260 jobs over four years and will invest more than $85 million in the operation. The project was made possible in part by state grants from the Job Development Investment Grant and One North Carolina programs.
“Pittsburgh Glass Works considered 88 sites throughout the United States before deciding to locate in North Carolina,” said Gov. Perdue, who attended the announcement in Elkin. “There is no doubt that our investments continue to pay off. Once again our job-ready workforce, business friendly climate and outstanding infrastructure won the day for our great state.”
The company plans to implement state of the art automotive glass manufacturing processes that will enhance their customer delivery, increase global manufacturing capacity and provide additional operational flexibility. The facility in Elkin could also accommodate potential future growth opportunities. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PGW supplies automotive windshields, rear and side windows, sunroofs and assemblies for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and the automotive aftermarket through the efforts of more than 4,000 employees world-wide. The company currently employs associates in North Carolina at distribution branches in Wake and Mecklenburg counties.
While individual wages for the 260 jobs will vary by job function, the overall average for the new jobs will be $30,608 a year, not including benefits. The Surry County average annual wage is $26,016.
“We are extremely pleased with the support provided by Gov. Bev Perdue, Surry County Commissioner Paul Johnson and Elkin Mayor Lestine Hutchens and their colleagues with assisting our organization in determining Elkin, North Carolina as the most appropriate location for our new manufacturing facility,” said James D. Wiggins, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Pittsburgh Glass Works. “We look forward to becoming a part of the Surry County and Elkin communities.”
To help facilitate this expansion, the company has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the state’s One North Carolina Fund. This fund provides cash grants to attract business projects deemed by the governor to be vital to a healthy and growing state economy. No money is paid up front and companies must meet job creation and investment targets to receive payments. One North Carolina Fund grants also require a local match, and this grant is contingent upon approval of local incentives.
Also, the state Economic Investment Committee today voted to award a Job Development Investment Grant to PGW. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.
Under the terms of the JDIG, the company is eligible to receive a grant equal to 65 percent of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs for each of the 10 years in which the company meets annual performance targets. If PGW meets the targets called for under the agreement, the JDIG could yield $2.1 million in maximum benefits for the company.
Other partners that assisted with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Surry County, the Town of Elkin, Surry County Economic Development Partnership and Golden LEAF Foundation.
Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state continues to work aggressively to create well-paying jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
For more information about PGW visit www.pgwglass.com.