Archive for category Davie County Economic Development
From Davie County Farms to Your Supper Table ~ Another Option? “CSA”
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on June 10, 2013
Enjoy garden fresh produce all season long
People with their own vegetable gardens understand the delicious “snap” and outstanding flavor of fresh picked produce.
It’s called “Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – and it links local residents to local farmers, eliminating “the middleman” and increasing the benefits to both the farmer and your family.Subscribing to shares of a local CSA farm make it easy to treat your family to those fresh-picked flavors and wholesome nutrition of days gone by.
There are two CSA farms right here in Davie County
In a CSA program, a farmer grows food for a group of local residents (called “shareholders” or “subscribers”) who commit at the beginning of each year to purchase part of that farm’s crop. The shareholders thus directly support a local farm and receive a low-cost weekly supply of fresh, high-quality produce. The farmers receive an initial cash investment to finance their operation and a higher percentage of each crop dollar because of direct delivery. Both parties jointly share the benefits and risks.
Have Fun, Save Money & Live Longer
Visit one of the two Davie County farmer’s markets regularly, and add a CSA subscription to your table from one of the two farms listed below. CSA subscriptions also make great gifts. They will be delivered each week during the harvest season which generally runs from May through about September.
Calahaln Farm
Calahaln Farm, located at 510 Calahaln Road, Mocksville is a family run farm owned and operated by David, Gloria and Kim Anderson. They Andersons have been farming the same land for generations and began offering CSA subscriptions in 2009. The Calahaln family are generally at the farm from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday.
Galliher Farm ~ USDA Certified Organic
Galliher Farm, located at 183 Garwood Road, Mocksville is a family run farm owned and operated by Michel and Renee Galliher. Michael and Renee are both form families who have been farming for generations and have been offering CSA subscriptions since 2008. In addition to their CSA operation, Galliher Farm is also a US Department of Agriculture Certified Organic operation.
Participating in a CSA is a great way to develop a relationship with a local farmer and to guarantee that fresh, local produce will find its way to your kitchen each week. CSAs often offer products not found in a supermarket, giving shareholders a chance to try new foods.
CSA Farms ~ Advantages for farmers:
- Farmers get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
- Farmers receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow
- Farmers have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow
- CSA Farms ~ Advantages for consumers:
Consumers eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits - Consumers get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
- Consumers get to visit the farm where their food is grown
- Consumers get maximum nutritional value of fresh picked produce
- Consumers find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
- Consumers develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown
CSA Farms ~ Advantages for the Environment:
- The minimal transportation required to transport food locally is a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
- CSA farmers produce their food with fewer pesticides or inorganic fertilizers, so they are as natural as possible, limiting their impact on the environment. The Galiher farm is indeed certified organic.
It’s not too late to enjoy garden fresh produce this year. Simply contact one or both of the Davie County CSA farms.
Resources:
Calahaln Farm
Galliher Farm
“Businesses Can Lower Their Costs and Prosper in Davie County!”
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Top Stories on May 28, 2013
“Inc. Magazine” identified Hollingsworth Capital Partners as the 12th fastest growing company in America and the Hollingsworth Companies continue to invest in Davie County.
If you drive by the SouthPoint Business Park during business hours and see the traffic flowing into and out of SouthPoint, you can appreciate the number of Davie County jobs that have been created there. And the level of investment is not slowing down!
“Companies from larger cities and other regions are attracted by our pro-business government, labor-rich environment and proximity to several interstates. Davie County is a place where businesses can lower their costs and prosper.” — Chip Sisk
The Hollingsworth Companies have completed a new, virtually complete industrial building in Mocksville. With a minimum clear height of 32’, wide column spacing and green features such as energy efficient fluorescent lighting, the structure is at a level of readiness for nearly immediate occupancy by any manufacturing or logistics company seeking to grow or expand into North Carolina.
The new 108,480 square foot industrial building is located at the SouthPoint Business Park just off of Interstate-40 in Mocksville. For more information, contact Chip Sisk, Industrial Real Estate Developer for the Hollingsworth Companies at (336) 753-6927
South-Sourcing: The Southern Advantage by Joe Hollingsworth
For more insight into the doing business in Davie County and the Southern USA, see our article on the book by Joe Hollingsworth, “South-Sourcing: The Southern Advantage”.
Boyles Furniture and Rugs ~ Grand Opening This Weekend!
Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on May 24, 2013
A Grand Re-Opening of the longtime Boyles Furniture and Rugs location at 182 Farmington Rd., directly off of Interstate 40 in Mocksville is underway.
The parking lot was packed with overflow parking on the lawn for the first night of the grand opening on Friday evening, May 23 with live music, hors d’oeuvres and refreshments from Nobles. The grand opening continues throughout this Memorial Day weekend.
Bringing Furniture Jobs Back to NC
Mark Bannon, President of the new Boyles Brand Holdings company says, “We’re hiring back the very people who lost their jobs when this industry faltered, we are helping to put North Carolina back to work.”
After winding down their 13-store chain in early 2011, the 60-year old brand has been revived through the formation of a joint venture between the Boyles Furniture & Rugs brand owners and a group of furniture industry veterans. Mr. Bannon states, “Our team has worked hard to develop a new retail business model that we feel will be very well received by our loyal Boyles customers.” Following the Mocksville, NC store launch, plans are in place for opening of another newly-purchased store in Connecticut, with additional retail locations in the works.
Poised for Growth
“Along with the lease and renovation of 50,000 square feet of retail space in Mocksville, NC and the purchase of a retail facility in central Connecticut, we’ve opened two new corporate offices, hired over 25 former and new employees, and we’re in the process of hiring many additional employees” says Bannon, who continued to remark on the warm reception Boyles has received since his group’s investment, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers, employees, and the industry as a whole. We encourage our customers to check our website, http://www.Boyles.com, on a regular basis or “like” us on Facebook to keep up to date on all that we have going on.”
The new Boyles retail concept, being rolled out in Mocksville, is centered around three main ingredients; a 5,000 square foot, high-end Boutique shopping experience; an additional 35,000 square feet of mid- to high-end special order product and in stock goods available for immediate delivery; and 10,000 square feet of opportunity buys and closeouts of quality furniture at up to 80% off of suggested retail price, which changes on a daily basis.
New Store Layout is a Win-Win
Chad Hendricks, Executive Vice-President of Sales, explains, “This new layout is truly a win for the customer because in the past we only offered one shopping experience in our stores. Now we are able to offer sales on a daily basis, with truckloads of amazingly discounted furniture, while still serving our design clients through a broad selection of special order and showroom furniture along with the largest rug and mattress galleries we’ve ever had. We invite everyone to come and celebrate this great American comeback story with us this weekend.”
Creating Jobs in Davie County Once Again ~ Boyles Furniture and Rugs Grand Re-Opening
Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on April 26, 2013
Boyles Furniture & Rugs is creating jobs in Davie County North Carolina once again. A Grand Re-Opening of the longtime Boyles location at 182 Farmington Rd. in Mocksville, NC, centrally located in North Carolina directly off of Interstate 40, is scheduled for May 23.
Mark Bannon, President of the new Boyles Brand Holdings company says, “We’re hiring back the very people who lost their jobs when this industry faltered, we are helping to put North Carolina back to work.”
After winding down their 13-store chain in early 2011, the 60-year old brand has been revived through the formation of a joint venture between the Boyles Furniture & Rugs brand owners and a group of furniture industry veterans.
Driving the jobs in this story are millions of dollars in private money currently being invested in the region by the new Boyles owners. Mr. Bannon states, “We believe the economy in this area is poised for rapid growth and there is a need to satisfy the unmet demand for quality mid- to high-end furniture offered at a value. Our team has worked hard to develop a new retail business model that we feel will be very well received by our loyal Boyles customers.” Following the Mocksville, NC store launch, plans are in place for opening of another newly-purchased store in Connecticut, with additional retail locations being actively explored.
“Along with the lease and renovation of 50,000 square feet of retail space in Mocksville, NC and the purchase of a retail facility in central Connecticut, we’ve opened two new corporate offices, hired over 25 former and new employees, and we’re in the process of hiring many additional employees ahead of the Grand Openings of the Mocksville and Connecticut stores,” says Bannon, who continued to remark on the warm reception Boyles has received since his group’s investment, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers, employees, and the industry as a whole. We encourage our customers to check our website, http://www.Boyles.com, on a regular basis or “like” us on Facebook to keep up to date on all that we have going on.”
The new Boyles retail concept, being rolled out in Mocksville, is centered around three main ingredients; a 5,000 square foot, high-end Boutique shopping experience; an additional 35,000 square feet of mid- to high-end special order product and in stock goods available for immediate delivery; and 10,000 square feet of opportunity buys and closeouts of quality furniture at up to 80% off of suggested retail price, which changes on a daily basis.
Grand Opening May 23
Chad Hendricks, Executive Vice-President of Sales, explains, “This new layout is truly a win for the customer because in the past we only offered one shopping experience in our stores. Now we are able to offer sales on a daily basis, with truckloads of amazingly discounted furniture, while still serving our design clients through a broad selection of special order and showroom furniture along with the largest rug and mattress galleries we’ve ever had. We invite everyone in North Carolina and the surrounding states to come and celebrate this great American comeback story with us on May 23.”
Wake Forest Baptist Health—West Campus Opens in August
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Top Stories on April 22, 2013
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center will open the first of two buildings on its West Campus in August, bringing the world-class services of one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers to Davie County.
The four-story, 60,000 square foot building—visible from Interstate 40 at exit 180 in the Town of Bermuda Run —will house physician offices, physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, and a pharmacy.
Orthopaedics will be the primary specialty service offered at the West Campus along with cardiology, ophthalmology and neurology. The research conducted by Wake Forest Baptist indicates that these services are needed by residents to enable them to have more convenient access to quality healthcare.
One of the four floors will be devoted to orthopaedics. Wake Forest Baptist physicians will provide diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services for patients with knee, shoulder, hip and hand problems, as well as conditions related to sports medicine and podiatry. Having physical therapy in the building will add convenience for patients.
For the first time, a cardiologist will have an office in Davie County. In addition to the cardiologist, cardiac rehabilitation will be available in the building.
Also, an ophthalmologist and neurologist will have offices in the building. Our eye physician provides complete eye exams without a referral.
In October, Medical Plaza 2 will open, completing the first phase of the West Campus. Medical Plaza 2 is a 101,000 square foot building that will offer 24/7 emergency services, outpatient surgery and diagnostic imaging. Medical Plaza 2 will have a full service laboratory, pre-operative assessment clinic, diagnostic cardiology and neurology.
Diagnostic services including imaging, lab, cardiology and neurology, as well as physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation services are available to any patients with a physician’s order.
With the $100 million investment and approximately 175 jobs, Wake Forest Baptist Health will be a catalyst for the economic growth of Davie County.
For more information, visit http://www.wakehealth.edu/west-campus/
Davie County in the Spotlight – Ashley Furniture Breaks Ground on 1,040,000 SF Addition
Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Top Stories on April 18, 2013
On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, Ashley Furniture broke ground in Davie County, NC on what will eventually be the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution center in the world. Part of a 5 year, $500 million investment strategy, the Davie County site sits on 668 acres in Advance, NC that will home to 3.8 million square feet of manufacturing and distribution space when completed.
Governor Pat McCrory recounts his first meeting with Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture and welcomes Ashley Furniture to North Carolina.
Dr. Qubein congratulates Davie County on a big WIN and celebrates American ingenuity and the American free enterprise system.
Davie County Economic Development Commission president Terry Bralley speaks about NC Governor McCrory’s mission to improve the state government’s customer service and about what it takes to bring manufacturing jobs back to North Carolina. Mr. Bralley also thanks the Wanek family and Ashley Furniture for selecting Davie County as the site for the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution facility in the world. Finally, Mr. Bralley thanks the RJR Tobacco Company for donating 360 acres in Advance, NC to make the Ashley Furniture expansion into North Carolina possible.
Ashley attorney Bill Coslo talks about his 50 years of experience with the Wanek family and congratulates Ron and Joyce Wanek on 52 years of marriage, Mr. Coslo recounts his experience with NC Governor Pat McCrory and with the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary John E. Skvarla. Mr. Coslo thanks the Golden Leaf Foundation and the North Carolina Rural Center for helping makethis groundbreaking a reality. Mr. Coslo also thanked RJR for creating a legacy in Davie County with their donation of 360 acres to the Davie County Economic Development Commission for this project. Mr. Coslo thanked Al Bolton of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, Duke Energy, and NC Representative Julia Howard and NC Senator Andrew Brock and the NC Department of Transportation.
Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture gives final remarks and the official groundbreaking ceremony is conducted.
Davie County in the Spotlight
- http://triad.news14.com/content/top_stories/693087/ashley-furniture-breaks-ground-on-distribution-center-in-advance
- http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/article_fa1ac1fc-a7d2-11e2-bf96-0019bb30f31a.html
- http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2013/04/17/ashley-furniture-breaks-ground-on.html
- http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/562233-Ashley_Furniture_breaks_ground_on_big_N_C_plant_expansion.php
- http://www.wral.com/ashley-furniture-plans-groundbreaking-at-nc-site/12348716/
- http://www.news-record.com/news/business/1036046-92/ashley-furniture-plans-april-17
- http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/Ashley-Furniture-Gets-OK-for-Phase-2-of-80M-NC-Complex-202352831.html
- http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/561831-Ashley_plans_big_addition_to_N_C_plant.php
- http://myfox8.com/2013/04/09/ashley-furniture-plans-april-17-groundbreaking-on-davie-co-site/
- http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/article_2cb74c84-a12f-11e2-9a21-001a4bcf6878.html
JOBS ~ Groundbreaking Ceremony on Wednesday to Clear the Way for Hundreds of Additional Jobs in Davie County
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Top Stories on April 15, 2013
DAVIE COUNTY ASHLEY FURNITURE PLANT WILL BE THE LARGEST FURNITURE MANUFACTURING/DISTRIBUTION PLANT IN NORTH AMERICA!
It was nearly a year ago that Wisconsin-based Ashley Furniture announced that Davie County would be the new home for what would be the company’s largest facility, and eventually, the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution center in the United States with 3.8 million square feet of building space. But the highly anticipated project, slated to bring at least 550 new jobs to the area, had been stuck almost in a state of limbo because of environmental issues created by a 4 acre patch of standing water at the 668 acre site on which the $80-million facility will be built.
Thankfully, those issues were largely resolved on March 28th of this year when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) gave Ashley a temporary permit to build on or near four acres it had deemed as “wetlands,” a finding that contradicted the conclusions of third-party experts hired by Ashley to do an environmental evaluation before purchasing the land.
An invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 5 PM on Wednesday, April 17 in celebration of clearing this significant hurdle, one that could have delayed construction for many more months or even years. Governor Pat McCrory will be in attendance along with other state and local dignitaries and business leaders.
While Ashley Furniture chairman Ron Wanek is understandably frustrated by the delays, he is still excited about the acquisition of the land for the company’s flagship facility. “This has to be the most perfect site I have ever seen,” Wanek said in a February, 2013 interview with Furniture Today. ”With all the sites we have that we have outgrown [in the past], this was a dream.”
The US Army Corps of Engineers permit clears the way for the construction of a a 1,040,000 square foot distribution center on Baltimore Road in Advance, NC which will be part of a complex that will eventually comprise 3.8 million square feet of building space dedicated to the company’s manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution divisions.
Ashley Furniture’s decision to make the Davie County facility the linchpin of its operations was just one of several wins for the county over the last 18 months. Carolina Precision Plastics announced in March of last year that it would invest $5.3 million in the creation of a manufacturing facility that would lead to 140 new jobs with an average wage of $39,183 (the county average was $28,808 at the time of the announcement). Pro Refrigeration, Inc. said it will be creating an East Coast production facility in Mocksville that will entail a $4.9 million investment and the need for yet another 85 jobs. Adding to the bright outlook is the slated completion of the $100,00,000 Wake Forest Baptist-West Campus, bringing high-tech professionals and top-flight health care to Davie County.
A key player in helping match companies in search of new opportunities with critical infrastructure and land-related resources is the Davie County Economic Development Commission. Visit the Davie County EDC web site to learn what Davie County has to offer for businesses of all sizes in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing counties.
From Davie to Denmark: Manufacturer Makes History with Groundbreaking Export from Cooleemee Mill
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on April 10, 2013
Replacing a church organ usually isn’t a momentous event unless you’re a scriptwriter trying to cobble together an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. The key word in that statement, however, is “usually.” Case in point: Tom Lewtak, of Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders, a Cooleemee-based company that is currently putting the finishing touches on the first American-made pipe organ ever to grace the sanctuary of a Danish church.
Tom Lewtak’s four year journey to Cooleemee
A native of Poland and a graduate of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Lewtak was serving as church organist at St. Joseph’s Church in Camillus, New York when the priest decided to replace the electronic organ with a traditional pipe organ. When Lewtak was shown the replacement he would be playing, he saw that not only was it the wrong size for the church, but also that it had many parts that needed to be replaced.
The story might have ended with a simple case of buyer’s remorse on the priest’s part, but Lewtak had another idea: he’d use the skills he learned while minoring in organ building in Katowice to salvage all the usable parts and build a new organ more suited to the dimensions of St. Joseph’s. Helping him would be his brother Paul, an architect and interior designer who would create the façade, or outer casing, for the organ.
It was the start of a four-year journey that took Lewtak from New York to Denmark to Norway and back to New York — and eventually Cooleemee.
Organ Pipe Voicing
Though Lewtak had studied organ building, it was a far cry from actually crafting the pipes, each of which produces a unique timbre and sound (Mozart called the pipe organ the “king of instruments“). So he took a year’s sabbatical and traveled to Denmark, where he apprenticed at the world-renowned organ builder Carsten Lund Organ Builders in Copenhagen. He learned the art of “voicing” pipes — hammering and shaping them to create their distinct tones and sounds — from Mogens Pedersen, who for over 20 years was the chief voicer of Frobenius Organ Builders, responsible for the largest church organ in Denmark.
A Very Big Deal
Lewtak returned to Camillus and completed the organ for St. Joseph’s, and by 2006 had given up his organist position to become a full-time organ builder (Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders had been incorporated five years earlier in 2001). It was in Camillus that Tom built an organ for First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, NC that caught the eye of the leaders of Østerhåb Kirke (church) in Horsens, Denmark. They were so impressed that they commissioned the Lewtaks to build an organ for its new church, a minimalist marvel of concrete and stone with fantastic acoustics. Given the fact that Denmark is home to the world’s most famed and respected organ builders, the selection of Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders for the project is, to put it mildly, a very big deal.
And now it’s a very big deal for Davie County. Though Tom had lived in the Empire State since arriving in the U.S. in 1993 with his wife Jola (a fellow organist he met while studying at the Academy of Music), the appeal of North Carolina’s warmer climate and business-friendly environment led them to contemplate moving here — a decision that was cemented when Jola landed a position at a church in Clemmons.
Recital at Cooleemee Mill
The Lewtaks acquired a log cabin home in Mocksville and built a workshop for Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders. But the workspace proved to be insufficient for the Østerhåb Kirke project, and Tom is now completing his work at the Cooleemee Mill, a cotton mill that employed nearly 2,000 workers until its closure in 1969.
A recent organ recital gave visitors a chance not only to hear the organ ( the finishing touches have yet to be completed), but also tour the Lewtaks’ work area and the Mill itself, which is being considered for renovation as a multi-purpose facility featuring shops, restaurants, light industrial work spaces, and apartments.
To learn more about the Østerhåb Kirke project and the Lewtaks’ other creations, visit the Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders Web site
State of Davie County 2013: Proud of Past Successes, Eager to Reach New Heights
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Davie County Schools, People, Top Stories on March 25, 2013
On Friday, March 22, more than 125 business and community leaders met at the WinMock at Kinderton in Bermuda Run for the “State of Davie” conference hosted by The Business Journal and sponsored by Century Link, Energy United and Novant Health, to discuss Davie County’s recent accomplishments in spurring economic growth in the county and the challenges it faces in the coming years.
Headlining the event were panelists Terry Bralley, president of the Davie County Economic Development Commission; Dr. Darrin Hartness, superintendent of Davie County Schools; Dr. Ken Rethmeier, mayor of Bermuda Run; and Lynn Rumley, mayor of Cooleemee.
Justin Catanoso, current Director of Journalism at Wake Forest University and former executive editor of The Business Journal, moderated a discussion that not only touched upon the county’s successes in bringing in new businesses to the region, but also on the challenges it faces in continuing Davie County’s transition from an outlying “bedroom community” to a jobs destination that attracts industry and young professionals.
The takeaway? The county is undeniably on the right track — but continued success relies on coordinating efforts between leaders in education, industry, technology, and government.
Davie County becoming a destination for careers, education and quality of life
While North Carolina as a whole has seen only mild economic growth in the past 18 months, Davie County has been a hotbed of new business infusion. In April of last year, Ashley Furniture announced it was investing $80 million in a distribution and manufacturing operation in Advance that will lead to the eventual creation of 550 jobs, making it the company’s largest operation in the world. Making good on its word, Ashley began shipping product just seven months later in November, 2012.
Carolina Precision Plastics said in March, 2012, that it would invest $5.3 million in the creation of a manufacturing facility that would lead to 140 new jobs with an average wage of $39,183 (the county average was $28,808 at the time of the announcement).
Pro Refrigeration, Inc. said it will be creating an East Coast production facility in Mocksville that will entail a $4.9 million investment and the need for yet another 85 jobs. Adding to the bright outlook is the slated completion of Novant Health’s Clemmons Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist-West Campus, bringing high-tech professionals and top-flight health care to the region.
What’s the secret to Davie County’s success? It’s a confluence of high-quality K-12 education, a business-friendly environment, excellent healthcare, and a close-knit community that provides the advantages offered by urban centers with the quality of life people expect when they decide to live in a low-density, non-urban setting.
As moderator Justin Catanoso pointed out during the presentation, these business and civic leaders are “changing the dynamic” from folks seeing Davie County as a “bedroom community” to viewing it as “a destination for careers as well.”
Davie County Schools among the best in North Carolina
An undeniable linchpin of this appeal is the high marks that Davie County schools are racking up. According to Dr. Hartness, Davie County now ranks in the top ten percent of North Carolina’s 115 school districts in math and reading, ranking third in English and math among eight-grade student scores and fourth and fifth for first-year algebra and English students respectively in high school. That’s the sort of thing that makes the county appealing not only to new residents, but to new businesses as well. Jim VanderGiessen Jr, CEO of Pro Refrigeration, said that his decision was based on more than just economic factors. “I have a board of directors that I report to and that I’m accountable to, and they were saying, ‘Why not Alabama? Why not Arkansas?’,” he said. “And the big thing is that this is a community we want to be a part of and are going to be a part of, and we factored that in to our decision.”
Existing building stock and public/private partnerships key to continued success
Still, a good school district doesn’t necessarily equal a good business environment, and that’s where the Davie County Economic Development Commission comes into the picture. Bralley pointed out that “ninety-five percent of what I deal with is companies looking or an existing building, and [for Pro Refrigeration] we had the right building — but we also had the right community.” The coming issue, says Bralley, is the shrinking number of existing spaces, which is why Davie County is working to empower the private sector to build new facilities by partnering with them. City and county officials work to find ways to pay for upfront infrastructure expenses such as road, water, and sewer, while private sector industry picks up the tab for the actual construction — and the jobs that are created create personal wealth and spur on the local economy for even more growth
Cooleemee – Davie County’s smallest town filled with vision and community spirit
The notion of using existing but unused buildings is a model that Cooleemee mayor Lynn Rumley finds appealing. She’s pushing for a $60 to $80 million redevelopment of former textile plant Erwin Mills, based largely upon the success of a similar mixed-used facility in Saxapahaw. “Since the financial meltdown, people have re-evaluated, taken a second look at their lives, and don’t necessarily want a huge house,” said Rumly. “I think they want to live in a somewhat different way. They don’t want to be uncomfortable or poor — nobody does — but I think that they want to live in an actual community. I think they want to live amidst nature.” And while Cooleemee isn’t exactly in the heart of commerce, Rumley said that will be less of an impediment as technology progress. “Of course there’s always going to be people who want to live in the city, and that’s fine. But they say that in the next 25 years half the people will be working at home.”
Town of Bermuda Run building a foundation for a bright future
What is even more impressive about Davie County’s recent achievements is that they’ve come in spite of the fact that demographic shifts have not been working in its favor: in short, the county has been gradually growing older on average. But Dr. Ken Rethmeier, mayor of Bermuda Run, said that a strategy which combines manufacturing, technology, health-care, and learning sectors can create a highly attractive environment for both employers and workers to move to the area and change that trend. “We’re building the foundation upon which we can create those opportunities for new jobs to continue to migrate into the county,” said Rethmeier. “[These] will stimulate the thinking of young people to say, ‘Why do I want to move away when I can make a big difference right where I am today?’”
This double-pronged strategy of drawing newcomers to the region while enticing homegrown professionals to stay (or at least return) home certainly makes sense — and if past success is any indicator, it’s one that appears to already be paying dividends.
Video of the panel discussion is available online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYlvWl0ZuCo
Tarheel Plastics Bringing New Jobs to Davie County
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Top Stories on March 4, 2013
In another win for Davie County, Tarheel Plastics will expand their North Carolina operations to create 48 new jobs and increase the tax base in Davie County with an investment of approximately $2.5 to $3.5 million.
Tarheel Plastics, LLC provides injection molding, contract manufacturing, assembly, and logistics solutions to OEM’s and serves a wide variety of markets utilizing state-of-art engineering and plastics resins to produce custom molded products.
Applications Being Accepted Now
New jobs will include positions in human resources, accounting, quality control, customer service, material handling, machine operator, maintenance technician, and other manufacturing related jobs. Recruiting is already underway and applications are being accepted online at http://tarheelplastics.applicantpro.com/jobs/
Reason for Expansion
According to Craig Ward, Vice President of Operations for Tarheel Plastics, recently awarded contracts are requiring the need for additional equipment and employees. The new facility is needed because the company’s current 110,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Lexington is at capacity with 62 full time and 8 part time employees. The new location in Mocksville will also allow for additional expansion as necessary, beyond the 48 new jobs anticipated with this move.
Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission said, “Please join us as we welcome Tarheel Plastics to Davie County. Job creation through innovation and business expansion, particularly for small and medium-size manufacturers, continues to be an important source of job growth for Davie County. The average rural manufacturing wage is nearly a third higher than the average for other private, non-manufacturing jobs. More than 60% of Davie County workers commute to work in other counties. This expansion will allow some of those workers to work closer to home.”
NC Rural Center Building Re-use Grant
Tarheel Plastics is moving into the building located at 163 Industrial Boulevard in Mocksville. The building, formerly used by MTP has been vacant for several years. With the help of a $480,000 Building Reuse Grant from the North Carolina Rural Center ($10,000 for each job created), the vacant building will be transformed from a warehouse facility to a manufacturing facility.
Improvements will include a new HVAC system, structural support to a accommodate a new crane, electrical upgrades, new sprinkler system, lighting upgrades, handicap accessibility, pads to accommodate new silos, air piping, office upgrade, dock lock and emergency exit.
Rural Sourcing
Companies that were once sending jobs overseas are now bringing some of those jobs back to the United States. Off-shore labor and transportation costs are rising and long transportation lead times just can’t support today’s just in time manufacturing trends. In addition, a trend to rural sourcing allows companies to leverage a skilled workforce at costs that are lower than in more urban areas.
Davie Construction Company, a locally owned and operated licensed general contractor, will be providing the building up-fit renovations.
Additional Resources:
Apply for Tarheel Plastics Jobs
Davie County Economic Development Commission
North Carolina Rural Center
Davie Construction Company
NASCAR Means Jobs for Davie County Business
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Top Stories on February 28, 2013
With over 100 million fans spending $3 billion each year, NASCAR is a job creation engine. With its Southern roots, all but a handful of NASCAR teams are still based in North Carolina, and NASCAR is creating jobs in Davie County.
Trailers of the East Coast and Featherlite have made it official – effective February 2013, Trailers of the East Coast in Davie County is an official service center for the high profile race car transporters that Featherlite has been building for NASCAR race teams for 20 years.
While Trailers of the East Coast has been providing Transporter Service to NASCAR teams since the beginning of the Featherlite transporter era 20 years ago, the designation of Official Featherlite Transporter Service Center will expedite the services provided to NASCAR team owners by creating a direct link to the factory for parts and engineering specs used in servicing these highly specialized vehicles.
A Davie County destination
NASCAR team owners and drivers have made the Trailers of the East Coast showroom a Davie County destination for race teams AND for racing fans. Many NASCAR fans will never forget the finish of the 2007 Daytona 500 when the Jack Daniels “07” car driven by Clint Bowyer crossed the finish line upside down and on fire. NASCAR fans can get “up close and personal” with the car. It is now on display in the middle of the Trailers of the East Coast showroom floor in Mocksville. Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission said, “Any business that makes Davie County a destination and encourages folks to get off of Interstate 40 to spend time in Mocksville is good for the local economy.”
Trailers of the East Coast – A Davie County job creation engine
When Trailers of the East Coast moved to their current location on Interstate Drive in Mocksville in 1997 they had 10 employees. By 2002 they had grown to a workforce of 18 employees. Over the last 10 years, employment at Trailers of the East Coast has more than doubled again and today Trailers of the East Coast has 43 full time employees serving customers across the US. Trailers of the East Coast also generates dozens of indirect jobs at supplier companies across North Carolina.
Ask Bill Junker and he will tell you that the formula for success for Trailers of the East Coast has been simple, “Provide the customer with a good product at a fair price and give them service after the sale – it works!”
According to Bralley, “Successful economic development requires more than simply attracting new companies to the area, it also requires that the businesses located here today continue to be successful. Trailers of the East Coast continues to be a job creation engine for Davie County.”
NASCAR transporter parade in Mocksville
A state of the art 50,000 square foot service center at Trailers of the East Coast in Mocksville is home to a parade of NASCAR team equipment throughout the winter months when teams are preparing for the next racing season.
The list of race teams and drivers with transporters pulling into Mocksville in preparation for the 2013 NASCAR season includes many of NASCARS most popular teams and drivers.
Transporters driving into Trailers of the East Coast this winter included Penske Racing with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano; Hendrick Motorsports with Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne; Richard Childress Racing with Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Jeff Burton; Rausch Fenway Racing with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle; Michael Waltrip Racing with Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., and Mark Martin; Steward Haas Racing with Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Ryan Newman; Red Horse Racing with John Wes Townley, Timothy Peters and German Quiroga; Joe Gibbs Racing with Kyle Busch and Matt Kensith; and Furniture Row Racing with Kurt Busch. Trailers of the East Coast provides transporter service and customizations for NASCAR team owners for the Camping World Truck Series, the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series.
Off-season for NASCAR is high season for transporter service
The off season for NASCAR provides race teams with the opportunity to fine-tune every aspect of their racing operations. Transporters are highly-engineered, multi-level vehicles. Race cars are stored in the upper level while tools, parts and specialized work areas are contained in the lower level. Many of the transporters also contain a communication center and a lounge in the front end of the transporter. In addition to transporting cars to the races, the NASCAR transporters are used as specialty work areas at the track.
On-site service for NASCAR teams
NASCAR race teams rely on Featherlite transporters to move their cars, and NASCAR team owners rely on Trailers of the East Coast to keep those transporters in race-day condition all season long. Like they do every year, Trailers of the East Coast had a transporter service crew on site from the time the first transporter rolled into Daytona International Speedway prior to the Daytona 500 on February 24, 2013.
As the On-Site Transporter Service Manager for Trailers of the East Coast, Todd Rogers travels across the country during racing season providing professional on-site service to NASCAR transporters at major NASCAR events throughout the season.
Transport Drivers – Ready to Roll
The next time you are at a race, stop by and say thank you to the transporter drivers who get your favorite drivers’ cars to the track on-time and ready to roll for each and every race all season long.
About Trailers of the East Coast
Trailers of the East Coast is a family owned company established in 1945 in Mocksville, North Carolina. In 1985, the family began selling trailers as a sideline business to their feed mill. Trailers of the East Coast sells and services concession and vending trailers, car haulers, horse and stock trailers, enclosed cargo trailers, utility trailers, dump trailers and Sport Chassis trucks.
With an inventory of over 300 trailers on site for immediate delivery, Trailers of the East Coast carries brands from most major manufacturers including Adam, ATC, Bloomer, Cimarron, Exiss, Homesteader, Hudson Bros., Lakota, Look, Pace American, Quality, Renegade, Shur-Trac, Take 3, and Sport Chassis trucks.
Visit the 1,000,000 Square Foot Cooleemee Cotton Mill This Saturday
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Top Stories on February 22, 2013
The Cooleemee Mill will be open to visitors this Saturday, February 23, from 2-4 PM for a community open house. This is a free event and the mill is located at 314 Main Street, Cooleemee, NC.
With over 1,000,000 square feet, the Cooleemee Mill is the largest structure in Davie County. For many decades the mill was Davie County’s largest employer and the economic engine for this region. Fully operational beginning in 1901, the mill was closed in 1969.
“If Cooleemee wants to survive, it needs its own economic engine,” says its mayor, Lynn Rumley. “The redevelopment of this old cotton mill is our best prospect but it’s going to take everyone putting their ideas in the pot.”
That process that will begin in earnest on Saturday, February 23rd from 2-4 pm inside the historic mill.
Creating a Vision for the Future
At the Mill Open House visitors will see exhibits about the days of mill work, photos of the Saxapahaw Rivermill project and displays of essays, art and design work from the elementary school’s 4th and 5th graders.
Dress warm, say organizers. There’s no heat in the mill. There will be plenty of hot coffee, hot cider and sweets.
Although the Mill Open House will be held in the new “Burlington” addition, every so often there will be a guided tour of the old first floor section, courtesy of Stokes County Yarn Company staff.
Many local people have expressed interest in going inside the old mill. Their parents or grandparents may have worked there. Or, they just cannot imagine its future potential without taking a look. There’s even interest from many across the river in Rowan County where a mill bus used to pick up workers from Woodleaf and Needmore.
“Although this is a ten-year project, the first phase of construction could begin as early as 2014,” says Rumley.
Cooleemee Mill Tour Details
Even planners ask that visitors park outside the main gate or just across Main Street. Walk through the small gate and toward the loading docks. Everyone who enters will be asked to sign an insurance waiver.
For more info, please call 284-6040 or 284-2141. The Cooleemee Cotton Mill Project is a partnership between the Town of Cooleemee, the Cooleemee Historical Association and the Davie County Economic Development Commission.
Its planning phase has been funded by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields program and a design grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Resources:
Town of Cooleemee
Cooleemee Historical Association
Davie County Economic Development Commission
Davie County Chamber of Commerce
Keys to Succesful Economic Development ~ Hard Work & Tenacious Follow Through!
Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, People, Top Stories on February 21, 2013
After an extensive search, Pro Refrigeration Inc. announced that they have chosen Mocksville, located in Davie County NC, as the home for their new East Coast Production Facility. Over the past 22 years Pro has grown to a leading manufacturer of Process Glycol Chiller Systems for Dairy, Craft Brewery, Winery, Distillery, and Food Processing Industries.
“Over the past 3 years we’ve tripled production output from our Headquarters in Auburn, WA.,” Pro’s CEO, Jim VanderGiessen Jr. explained. “We knew that we had to make a decision to either expand more in Washington State, or find an additional location to enable us the increased production capacity to serve our current customers and the new markets we have targeted”.
Mocksville Comes Out on Top After Year-Long Search
Pro started their second facility search almost a year ago, including locations in their home state of Washington, Virginia, and North Carolina. Pro currently employs more than 50 employees at their 25,000 Square Foot facility located in Auburn, WA.
“The decision to open a second facility versus simply relocating to a larger facility in Washington came down to several factors, probably the biggest reason was the goal of not disrupting the team we have in Washington and innovative products they build and generate from our headquarters. We also saw several brewery customers take the path of adding a second plant on the east coast. The more we evaluated, the easier it was to make this choice.” Said Jim, “The new facility is almost double the square footage of our headquarters, we are really excited to have the capacity to actually go after several markets without worrying if we have the capacity to support and service these customers.”
NEW Manufacturing Jobs!
The company plans to create 58 jobs and invest $3.6 million over the next three years in the Mocksville, NC Facility. The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The grant is contingent upon proof of job creation and receipt of a local funding match. Only a few of the employees will relocate from the plant in Washington as they have no plans to decrease the output and production from their headquarters, almost all of the new jobs will be created from the Davie County facility.
“Manufacturers like Pro Refrigeration know that my administration is committed to growing this important part of North Carolina’s economy,” said North Carolina Gov. McCrory. “We must continue to support manufacturing through our strategic investments in workforce development and infrastructure.”
“We have kind of a “pay as you go” philosophy, we appreciated that if we could provide the benefits to the region with jobs and incentives, we’d be eligible for some grant funds to help with training and getting the new facility setup for our needs.” added Jim. “We hope we can outgrow the North Carolina plant next and then perhaps look at additional facilities down the road –maybe Texas will be next”.
“Manufacturing is an important part of our state’s brand,” said Sharon Decker, N.C. Secretary of Commerce. “We welcome Pro Refrigeration to North Carolina and wish them continued success in Davie County.”
They were excited to find a building they could repurpose, the building previously produced television cabinets and still has the famous RCA Phonograph and Dog logo painted on the interior wall. Pro plans to take possession of the building on March 1, ramping up to full production by the end of the year.
The Keys to Success in Economic Development ~ Hard Work and Tenacious Follow
“Pro has a great deal riding on this expansion, it is definitely one of the biggest moves we’ve undertaken,” said VanderGiessen. “The reasons for choosing Davie County were the skilled workforce, the business friendly environment, and the amazing support we’ve received from everyone we’ve met. Special credit needs to be given to Mr. Bernard Torain, NC Department of Commerce, and Mr. Terry Bralley, President Davie County Economic Development Council, who backed up everything they said with hard work and tenacious follow through.”
Resources:
Pro Refrigeration, Inc.
Davie County Econnomic Development Commission
Davie County Chamber of Commerce
NC Depertment of Commerce
New Manufacturing Jobs Coming to Davie County!
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, People, Top Stories on February 20, 2013
In another win for Davie County and for North Caorlina, Governor Pat McCrory and N.C. Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced today that Pro Refrigeration Inc., a manufacturer of refrigeration systems, will expand its operations by locating a new East Coast production facility in Davie County.
Expansion to Create New Jobs
Pro Refrigeration plans to create as many as 85 jobs over five years and invest $4.9 million to gain maximum benefits from performance-based incentives approved by the Davie County Economic Development Commission.
The project was also made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $75,000. The state grant will be based on the company creating 58 jobs and investing $3.6 million over the first three years of the project.
“Manufacturers like Pro Refrigeration know that my administration is committed to growing this important part of North Carolina’s economy,” said Governor McCrory. “We must continue to support manufacturing through our strategic investments in workforce development and infrastructure.”
Pro Refrigeration is a privately-held company that designs, manufactures and distributes state-of-the-art refrigeration systems for the dairy, winery, food processing, medical and craft brewing industries. The company currently has more than 50 employees operating from its headquarters in Washington State and sales office in Georgia.
“Manufacturing is an important part of our state’s brand,” said Sharon Decker, N.C. Secretary of Commerce. “We welcome Pro Refrigeration to North Carolina and wish them continued success in Davie County.”
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wages for the new jobs will be $38,296, plus benefits. The average annual wage in Davie County is $30,415.
Davie County’s Skilled Workforce, Business Friendly Environment and Amazing Support!
“We spent much of the past year touring and researching different locations across the Southeast region. Pro has a great deal riding on this expansion, it is definitely one of the biggest moves we’ve undertaken,” said Jim VanderGiessen Jr, CEO of Pro Refrigeration. “The reasons for choosing Davie County were the skilled workforce, the business friendly environment, and the amazing support we’ve received from everyone here in Mocksville.”
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.
“We are delighted that Pro Refrigeration’s East Coast production facility will soon call Davie County its home,” said Rep. Julia Howard. ”I believe that Pro Refrigeration will find that Davie County is worth every investment and will supply a skilled, dedicated, and energetic workforce.”
“Over the last session, the North Carolina General Assembly created the largest tax cut for businesses in the state’s history,” said Senator Andrew Brock. “Now, under the leadership of Governor Pat McCrory and his goal to rededicate state government to be customer-friendly and efficient, North Carolina will be known as a place where businesses come for a visit and stay for a lifetime.”
Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission said, “We are thrilled that Pro Refrigeration has selected Davie County as the location for their east coast expansion. It’s a win for all of us when a business expansion creates new jobs.”
Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Davie County Economic Development Commission, Davie County and the Town of Mocksville.
For more information about Pro Refrigeration, including job opportunities, visit www.prochiller.com.
Resources:
NC Department of Commerce
Davie County Economic Development Commission
DCCC – The Commuity College of Davidson and Davie Countyies
Mocksville, North Carolina
One North Carolina Fund
Advanced Manufacturing Lab Coming to Davie County High School
Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Davie County Schools, Top Stories on January 31, 2013
An advanced manufacturing lab is being built on the campus of Davie County High School. The lab, opening in the fall of 2013 will contain three CNC Vertical Mills (3-axis, 4-axis and 5-axis), three CNC Turning Centers, four manual knee mills, four manual engine lathes and two surface grinders. In addition, the welding program at the Davie Campus of DCCC is being expanded.
Real World Training for High Paying Jobs
The expansion of the welding program and the implementation of the advanced manufacturing lab make it possible for Davie County high School students to earn 2 college certificates while still attending high school. These certificates are endorsed by National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Skills Certification program in Computer Integrated Machining.
Graduates of Computer Integrated Machining Programs are prepared for filling positions in the workplace that include machinists, machine operator, CNC tool operator, tool and die maker, and lathe and turning machine tool setters.
Collaborative Partnerships Driving Advanced Manufacturing
Strong workforce development programs are critical to manufacturers investing in local communities to create jobs. DCCC, the College of Davidson and Davie Counties is a member of the North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance. The alliance brings industry leadership and educators together to build workforce skills needed by specific industry and manufacturing partners.
Golden Leaf Foundation Grants for Workforce Preparedness
These investments in equipment and skills training are made possible in part through an $875,000 grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation. Funding for Golden Leaf Foundation grants come from the Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers to help boost the economy in areas where the economy was heavily dependent on tobacco. A nonprofit organization devoted to the economic well being of North Carolinians, Golden LEAF endeavors to strengthen the state’s economy while insulating tax payers from additional expenses.
Career and College Promise
Through the Career and College Promise program, Davie County Schools are providing a pathway for high school students to begin their college work during high school. Not only does this make two-year community college or four-year college/university degrees more affordable for students and their families, but the experience of beginning college-level work during high school offers students extra support for success and eases the transition between high school and college admission.
DCCC continues to provide Davie County students with real world training for high paying jobs in high growth economic sectors.
Additional Resources:
Davie County Economic Development Commission
Davie County Schools
DCCC – The Community College of Davidson and Davie Counties
North Carolina Career and College Promise
The Golden Leaf Foundation
North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance
National Association of Manufacturers
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Davie Chamber Events- Friday Night Thunder plus! Motorcycle Points Race #6 - 06/21/2013[…]
- Peachtree Farmers Market - 06/21/2013[…]
- Open Mike Night - 06/21/2013[…]
- Farmington Farmers Market - 06/22/2013[…]
- Quick 8 Pro Mods @ Farmington - 06/22/2013[…]
- Sangria Summer @ Misty Creek - 06/22/2013[…]
- Music Night @ Misty Creek - 06/22/2013[…]
- Davie High War Eagles v. West Rowan Falcons Alumni Football Game - 06/22/2013[…]
- DC Networks - 06/25/2013[…]
- Wrap Party to Benefit Special Olympics of Davie County - 06/26/2013[…]
- Peachtree Farmers Market - 06/28/2013[…]
- Friday Night Thunder plus! Motorcycle Points Race - 06/28/2013[…]
- Sultry Summer Sunset Musical Flight @ Raylen Vineyards - 06/28/2013[…]
- Farmington Farmers Market - 06/29/2013[…]
- Sangria Summer @ Misty Creek - 06/29/2013[…]
- Mocksville Cruise In - 07/01/2013[…]
- Annual Lawnmower Parade - 07/04/2013[…]
- Fireworks In The Park - 07/04/2013[…]
- 14th Annual PAPA Antique Tractor and Engine Show - 07/05/2013[…]
- Peachtree Farmers Market - 07/05/2013[…]
- Friday Night Thunder plus! Motorcycle Points Race #6 - 06/21/2013
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