Chemical firm bringing jobs to Granite Falls

A chemical manufacturer is bringing 19 new jobs to Caldwell County.

Lubrimetal Corporation, a member of the Lubrimetal family of companies, plans to invest $1.9 million over the next three years in a site in Granite Falls. The project was made possible in part by a $38,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

The announcement was made Friday by Gov. Bev Perdue.

Other partners involved in securing the project include the NC Department of Commerce, the Community College System, Caldwell County, the Town of Granite Falls, NC Rural Economic Development Center, and Caldwell Economic Development Commission.

Lubrimetal, an Italian-owned family company founded in 1959, produces lubricants for the wire drawing industry. The company plans to develop a manufacturing facility for the production of wet and dry lubricants for the drawing of steel and non-ferrous wires. The new facility will allow Lubrimetal to meet growing market demand in North America, Perdue’s office said.

Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $41,316, plus benefits. The Caldwell County average annual wage is $29,796.

“The creation of a new factory in the United States has been an important part of our global strategy,” said Giorgio Corso, executive vice president of Lubrimetal. “All the partners involved have worked tirelessly to help make our decision easier. These people should be commended for their work to bring jobs to the people of Caldwell County.

“I believe we have made the right decision to locate here and that there is a very strong future for Lubrimetal Corporation and the people of the community we are proud to be joining.”

The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.

North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through the JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future, the governor’s office reported.

“My top priority is creating jobs,” Perdue said. “Our history of investing in education and workforce and job training programs has created a strong business climate where manufacturers can thrive in a global market. We must get back to supporting these programs so that more companies like Lubrimetal will move to or expand in North Carolina.”

Through use of the One NC Fund, working with local officials, more than 60,000 jobs and $11 billion in investment have been created since 2001.

For more information about Lubimetal, including job opportunities, go to www.lubrimetal.com.

 What they’re saying in Granite Falls

 “We are incredibly pleased to be the new U.S. home for Lubrimetal Corporation. This is yet one more important step in the diversification of our local economy and evidence that Caldwell County is serious about attracting globally competitive business and industry.” 

— Deborah Murray, Executive Director, Caldwell EDC

“On behalf of the Economic Development Commission Board, and the citizens of Caldwell County, we welcome Lubrimetal to our community. We are proud to have an international company choose Granite Falls as their U.S. location, and we appreciate the investment and new jobs that will be created. I know that Lubrimetal will value the skill and dedication of our workforce and benefit from the exceptional resources Caldwell County has to offer.”

— Bob Floyd, Chairman, Caldwell EDC

“The Town of Granite Falls is extremely proud to have been chosen as the location of the first Lubrimetal facility in the United States. We look forward to the Granite Falls facility serving as an integral part of Lubrimetal’s global strategy.  Lubrimetal has been a model corporate citizen in Italy through the years. As a family-owned business, the Corso family has built the company into a world leader in the wire drawing industry. The third generation of the Corso family is now working in the business and we look forward to working with them to build on their already successful corporate history.”

— Barry Hayes, Granite Falls Mayor

“We are ecstatic that Lubrimetal has made the decision to locate their first US facility in the Town of Granite Falls. We look forward to working with the Corso family to get the Granite Falls facility operational and in creating employment opportunities for our citizens.”

— Jerry Church, Granite Falls Town Manager