Governor McCrory welcomes Carolina Nonwovens in Maiden
MAIDEN, NC (WBTV) - Governor Pat McCrory made a stop in Maiden on Wednesday to visit the new location of Carolina Nonwovens.
"Today's grand opening shows that our economy is on a comeback, and North Carolina has the workforce businesses need and the infrastructure and climate to compete," Governor McCrory said.
The site consists of 92,000 square feet on 11 acres. The current workforce has been retained and 35 new jobs are being added, for a total of approximately 65 employees, according to a news release.
The company is a subsidiary of National Spinning, which operates six facilities in North Carolina. The new plant in Maiden incorporates some workers from a smaller plant in Lincoln County.
The workers from Lincoln County now work at the Maiden plant, along with 35 new positions created by the expansion.
During his remarks Governor McCrory touted the announcement as another example of what he calls the "Carolina Comeback," and mentioned that unemployment in Catawba County was now down to 4.5% from a high of 11.6%
Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is in a hotly contested race with McCrory for the governor's job, responded through an email from his campaign that the "Carolina Comeback" isn't being felt across the state.
"Governor McCrory likes to talk about a 'Carolina Comeback' but if you ask, most North Carolina families will tell you they aren't feeling it," the statement reads. "That's because Governor McCrory has raised taxes 65 different ways on families who are working harder than ever but now have less money in their pockets. Meanwhile incomes are stagnant and high paying jobs remain too rare. It's time for a governor who will actually address the challenges facing middle class families."
"Roy Cooper is wrong especially right here in Catawba County," Governor McCrory said. "There is a Carolina Comeback and it's due to a change in tax policy, due to a change in regulatory cooperation with business. We want to treat business as a customer."
Carolina Nonwovens is a textile company that makes nonwoven materials for the automotive, appliance, and other industries.
"I think that's marvelous when you can add jobs in a good facility like this," Maiden Mayor Robert Smyre said. $13 million and a 100,000 square feet is a lot, it's a good building and I believe they're here for the long haul."
"There's a great workforce here, great market for our product, we're just delighted to be here," said National Spinning CEO and Chairman Jim Chesnutt.
It is good news for Maiden, coming a little more than a month after Delta Apparel announced it would be closing a plant and eliminating 160 jobs.
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