USA – Battery manufacturer, Energizer Holdings, Inc. has announced plans to invest US$43 million to expand its battery production and packaging facilities in Asheboro.
The company, which is best known for its Energizer batteries as touted by its iconic bunny, has been operating in Asheboro for almost 75 years.
Energizer says that by upgrading its facilities with this new investment, the facilities’ production and packaging capacity will increase.
Asheboro manufacturing plant manager Abe Prandini said: “We’re incredibly excited about this expansion.
“Our decision to invest in our Asheboro facilities is a testament to the great workforce in the area and we’re looking forward to calling Asheboro our home for many years to come.”
A performance-based grant of US$450,000 has also been provided by the One North Carolina Fund for Energizer to help towards its expansion in the US state.
The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and 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.
North Carolina’s commerce secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said: “Energizer has become synonymous with powering our lives.
“Our manufacturing workforce, combined with our convenient location and transportation infrastructure, will continue to make North Carolina a top choice for global brands like Energizer.”
In addition, the company said the expansion is expected to create 144 jobs including new positions for engineers, maintenance staff, operators, and supervisors.
The overall average annual wage for Energizer employees is just over US$54,000, exceeding the Randolph County average annual wage of US$43,000.
Company officials say the new positions could have an annual payroll impact of almost US$8 million for the region.
North Carolina governor Roy Cooper said: “We’re charged up to announce Energizer’s decision to increase its investment in our state.
“This is another important expansion for Randolph and surrounding counties and it spotlights North Carolina as a place for world-renowned companies to grow and succeed.”
In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Randolph Community College, North Carolina Retail Merchants Association, Randolph County, Randolph County Economic Development Corporation, City of Asheboro, and Duke Energy.
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