Governor Roy Cooper said Thursday that GP Portable Buildings LLC, a company that makes outdoor storage buildings, will add 51 new jobs in Richmond County. The company is going to spend $7.4 million to build a factory in Marston.
Gov. Cooper said in a news release, “We are glad to see more jobs and investments being made in Richmond County.” „Graceland Portable Buildings is confident in opening its own factory because it has worked with North Carolina contractors before and knows that our state has a skilled staff, good transportation, and low costs for doing business.
In North Carolina, Graceland is registered as GP Portable Buildings LLC, but its main office is in Kentucky and it is listed as Graceland Properties, LLC there. The business will function in Richmond County by creating, distributing, and setting up movable buildings and outdoor storage sheds for different uses.
Graceland sells its high-quality designs directly to customers and through dealers. It does this by using cutting-edge technology and engineering that can be approved for housing. With a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, the company will double its production capacity and make its presence bigger.
The CEO of Graceland Portable Buildings, Greg French, said, “We’re excited to grow our business in North Carolina with this new manufacturing facility.”
“This investment not only shows our dedication to growth and new ideas, but it also shows our commitment to making great products and giving people in the community meaningful jobs.” Our company is happy to be a part of North Carolina’s economy and looks forward to making its future bright.
Michael Derkacy, COO, who will be in charge of the project, said, “The Marston plant will be a showcase of cutting edge technology and advanced manufacturing processes.” “This expansion shows how committed we are to new ideas and makes the portable building industry a better place to work.”
“North Carolina continues to bring advanced manufacturers from all fields to all parts of the state,” said Machelle Baker Sanders, secretary of commerce for North Carolina.
“North Carolina is committed to building up the diverse workforce that growing companies need as they expand and meet demand for their products. It has the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeastern United States.”
Different jobs will pay different amounts, but the average yearly wage will be $43,335, which is more than the average in Richmond County. It’s possible that these new jobs will bring in more than $2.2 million a year in salary for the area.
The One North Carolina Fund has given Graceland a performance-based grant of $150,000 to help with their move to North Carolina. As a way to help local governments bring in business and create jobs, the One NC Fund gives them money.
Companies don’t get paid right away, and they have to meet goals for capital investment and job growth before they can get paid. All One NC grants need local governments to match the grant money, and any payment is contingent upon that condition being met.
Sen. David W. Craven, Jr. of North Carolina said, “This is great news for Richmond County and rural North Carolina.” “The addition of these new jobs and investments will make our local economy stronger and help our residents make a living.”
Representative Ben T. Moss, Jr. of North Carolina said, “We appreciate the hard work of everyone who helped bring this company to our community.” “We’re looking forward to seeing how they turn the empty space into a busy production hub that will attract other companies to our business community.”
Aside from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Richmond Community College, Richmond County, and the Richmond County Economic Development Corporation are also very important partners in this project.