Best known for its iconic Energizer Bunny, Energizer Holdings, Inc. will add 144 new jobs — including engineers, maintenance staff, operators, and supervisors — at its operations in Randolph County, North Carolina. The company plans to invest $43 million for an equipment expansion at its battery production and packaging facilities in the City of Asheboro.
“We’re incredibly excited about this expansion,” said Abe Prandini, Plant Manager for the Asheboro manufacturing plant. “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.”
Energizer Holdings manufactures Energizer, Rayovac and Eveready batteries and flashlights, along with auto care products like Armor All and STP. The company has had a presence in the Asheboro community for nearly 75 years, and is upgrading its sites to increase production and packaging capacity.
“We’re charged up to announce Energizer’s decision to increase its investment in our state,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “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.”
A performance-based grant of $450,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Energizer’s North Carolina expansion.
“Energizer has become synonymous with powering our lives,” said North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “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.”
NC Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina worked with 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 to support the project.
EV Cluster Grows In The Charlotte Region
Meanwhile in Mecklenburg County, electric vehicle (EV) charging unit manufacturer alpitronic America, Inc. plans to bring its U.S. headquarters and 300 new jobs to the City of Charlotte. The company will invest $18.3 million in the West Charlotte headquarters project, which will also include a tech service center.
With the largest lithium deposit in the Southeast and a strategic East Coast location, the Charlotte Region is emerging as a hub for EV manufacturing, headquarters and research and development. Since the start of 2022, the Charlotte Region has seen more than $1.85 billion investment and approximately 950 announced jobs from companies in the EV industry.
“We’re excited to start our operations for the US in Charlotte,” said Philipp Senoner, CEO of alpitronic srl. “Our decision to come to North Carolina, a state which is developing towards an e-mobility cluster, was consciously made based on the economic conditions. Within the next few years, we expect a strong growth of our business based on our reliable high-performance charging solution, which is contributing to the transition towards e-mobility for passenger vehicles and trucks.”
The company also considered Greenville, SC and Phoenix, AZ for the project.
“We are ecstatic to have worked with alpitronic to locate its North American headquarters in Charlotte,” said Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Chief Business Recruitment Officer Danny Chavez. “As EVs become increasingly prevalent globally, innovative, future-creating companies like alpitronic are a critical component to a dynamic ecosystem. A win like this bolsters the region’s position as a magnet for the EV industry and its infrastructure.”
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North Carolina’s Chung Accepts 2022 State Of The Year AwardThe region is also attracting its fair share of foreign direct investment (FDI): alpitronic is the second Italian company to locate to the region in the past 12 months. FDI has contributed nearly $1 billion to the region’s economy since the start of 2022.
This project was a collaborative effort with the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the NC Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, and Central Piedmont Community College.
