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 Mohawk Industries will expand its manufacturing facility in Rockingham County and create 105 new jobs over the next five years. The company plans to invest $8 million in the city of Eden.
“Mohawk has been a great corporate citizen to Rockingham County and to North Carolina,” said Governor McCrory. “By adding these new manufacturing jobs and making significant capital improvements, Mohawk is demonstrating that North Carolina’s workforce and business climate is a vital component of the company’s future.”
Mohawk currently employs more than 170 individuals at its Eden location, where the prestigious Karastan® brand of carpets and rugs are manufactured. Mohawk employs almost 1,200 employees across North Carolina in all of its divisions.
Mohawk Industries is the world’s largest flooring manufacturer. The company offers a complete line of flooring products including carpet and rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, sheet vinyl and luxury vinyl tile.
“Anytime an existing North Carolina company chooses to expand here, it sends the signal across the country that North Carolina is a great place to do business,” said Secretary Skvarla. “Nothing compares to what North Carolina has to offer when it comes to being a business-friendly state.”
Salaries will vary by job, which will include machine operators, maintenance, support staff and management positions. The annual salary range for the new jobs will be $35,000 to $40,000, a similar range to comparable existing jobs at the Eden facility. The average annual salary for Rockingham County is $34,446.
“The first Karastan rug at the Eden facility was produced in 1928, and this project represents a revitalization of this important site,” said Brian Carson, president of Mohawk’s North American Flooring division. “We are delighted that more than 100 people in the region will become part of our talented and dedicated team at Eden. These fine craftspeople create some of the most beautiful and enduring products in our industry. We look forward to investing in equipment as well as making significant process and infrastructure improvements to ensure a brighter future for this historic facility and the great people who work here.”
“I applaud Mohawk’s continued commitment to bringing new jobs and greater investment to Rockingham County,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger. “Their decision is a testament to North Carolina’s favorable business climate and high-quality workforce, and I look forward to supporting additional pro-growth tax policies that help more existing businesses expand across our state.”
The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $765,000. 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.
“We all know the importance of new jobs to a community’s economy,” said Representative Brian Holloway. “This expansion is going to have a tremendous positive effect to Rockingham County and to Eden.”
“This is exciting news for our region,” said Representative Bert Jones. “These new jobs and this investment will certainly have a very positive impact in our county.”
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, Rockingham County Economic Development, Rockingham County and the City of Eden.