Furniture manufacturer SBA Home will invest more than $70 million to establish its first North American furniture production facility in the Town of Mocksville, North Carolina. The manufacturing facility will create 250 jobs in Davie County.
The newly created company is the largest division of SBA Grupe UAB, a Lithuanian conglomerate that exports furniture to 50 countries and employs more than 3,000 employees in Lithuania. SBA’s North Carolina location will be a 500,000-square-foot innovative production facility to manufacture and distribute trendy furniture products to meet the demand of its U.S. customer bases.
“We are excited to launch our journey in the United States, starting in North Carolina—a state renowned for its dynamic business environment and exceptional opportunities for globally growing companies,” said Jurgita Radzevičė, CEO of SBA Home. “With its wide talent pool, excellent infrastructure and logistics, support from the State, combined with SBA Home’s modern manufacturing expertise and humancentric organizational culture, we are confident this venture will create high-quality jobs and give positive impact to the region. We believe it further bolsters partnership between Lithuania and the United States, paving the way for innovation and shared success.”
“SBA Home has made a great decision to enter the U.S. market in Davie County,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “With more than 800 furniture companies, North Carolina’s reputation as the furniture capital of the world attracts growing manufacturers that need a world class workforce to meet the demand of their global customers.”
SBA Home’s project in North Carolina will be supported by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. Using a formula that takes into account $50 million of the company’s investment as well as the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1.4 million spread over 12 years. Because SBA chose a site in Davie County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $473,375 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.
“When they choose to expand into new markets, international companies want to operate in the best state in America,” said North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “I envision a North Carolina that continues to be first in talent and innovation as we welcome industry game changers into our business community and create an economy that works for every North Carolinian.”
More North Carolina Manufacturing News
Also this week,MetOx International Inc. announced plans to invest $193.7 million to build a production facility in Chatham County. The Texas-based manufacturer of high-temperature superconducting wire will create 333 jobs in North Carolina.
MetOx is a leader in High Temperature Superconducting technology (HTS) and is dedicated to advancing new energy solutions and establishing a resilient HTS manufacturing base in the U.S. The company’s new manufacturing center in the Research Triangle region will produce its Xeus™ HTS wire, which can make transmission cables up to 10 times more efficient than traditional copper cables.
“Establishing our new large-scale manufacturing facility in Chatham County is a pivotal step toward securing a reliable, domestic supply of HTS wire for the development of critical infrastructure in the United States,” said Bud Vos, CEO of MetOx. “This facility will not only deliver transformative energy technologies that strengthen our grid and reduce carbon emissions but also create high-paying manufacturing jobs in a community eager to lead in innovation. We are proud to partner with North Carolina to drive forward a resilient energy future built on cutting-edge science and strong local collaboration.”
MetOx’s project in North Carolina will be supported by a JDIG formally awarded to a new company being created by MetOx. The JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $3.2 million, spread over 12 years. MetOx’s JDIG agreement could also move as much as $1,061,500 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account.
In Cabarrus County, Custom Flavors will invest $6.5 million to establish an East Coast production facility in Concord. The California-based flavor developer and manufacturer will create 30 jobs with the project. Custom Flavors’s new Concord facility will expand innovation and production capacity, enabling shorter lead times and reduced freight costs for its growing customer base along the East Coast.
“We’re thrilled to be expanding our operations to North Carolina and becoming part of the wonderful Concord community,” said Alex Wendling, President of Custom Flavors. “This location will serve as our Eastern hub for innovation, and will supply growing brands and manufacturers. North Carolina’s welcoming business environment and dynamic growth made it the ideal choice for this next chapter in our journey.”
“North Carolina has the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast, and the fourth largest food and beverage industry in the U.S.,” commented Secretary Baker Sanders. “With leading institutions like the North Carolina State University Food Science Department and the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, we have built a strong foundation for innovative companies in the food and beverage sector, like Custom Flavors, to thrive.”
A performance-based grant of $34,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Custom Flavors’ location to North Carolina. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
And finally in Caswell County, Cherokee Tobacco Company will create 39 new jobs and invest more than $14 million to build a new manufacturing and distribution operation in Pelham. A sister company of JEB International,Cherokee Tobacco Company is a family-owned business that has manufactured and sold its own brand of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe products for more than two decades. The new build-to-suit facility will provide a clean manufacturing space to add new, next-generation product lines. The company will consolidate its existing operations, along with JEB International, into one 65,000-square-foot location.
“We are very excited to be coming to North Carolina and to be working closely with Caswell County and PCC,” said Jay Barker, the Owner & CEO of Cherokee Tobacco Company and JEB International. “We believe this new facility will improve efficiency for both groups and create the optimal environment to carry our companies and our brands into the future.”
“Agriculture roots run deep in North Carolina as it remains our greatest economic driver,” said Gov. Cooper. “Not only do we have a skilled workforce, we also have a great business climate and one of the largest manufacturing economies in the nation to support the global operations of growing companies and Caswell County fits the bill.”
A performance-based grant of $125,000 was awarded to Cherokee Tobacco Company, LLC from the One North Carolina Fund.
