Asbury Graphite of North Carolina, will create 22 new jobs in Robeson County and will invest $16.9 million as part of a capacity expansion project at its Lumberton operation.
“Asbury Graphite is yet another company that sees the value of doing business in our state,” said Governor Cooper. “When they could expand anywhere in the world, Asbury selected Robeson County, North Carolina because they believe in our quality of life, our infrastructure and our workforce.”
Headquartered in New Jersey, Asbury has provided engineered solutions based on graphite and carbons for more than 125 years. The company serves the automotive, steel, and other industries with carbon products, including graphene, for various applications. With locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Netherlands, Asbury continues to innovate and diversify its portfolio of products to meet the unique needs of its global customers. The Lumberton project will include a new quality assurance lab, renovation for shipping and maintenance offices, and added employee amenities of showers, locker area, and restrooms. Asbury will also repurpose and upgrade two large warehouses for the production of Edge Functionalized Graphene, an environmentally friendly advanced material.
“This investment is a significant achievement for the Lumberton plant,” said Travis Toth, Plant Manager for Asbury Graphite of North Carolina “We’re excited to produce this next-generation material here in North Carolina.”
“We’re delighted to have Asbury Graphite increase their investment in rural North Carolina,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Our economic development strategy is a commitment to providing a diverse talent pipeline for growing companies across all industries.”
The North Carolina Department of Commerce led a team of partners in supporting Asbury Graphite’s expansion in North Carolina. Altogether, the new positions will have an average annual salary of $43,864, exceeding Robeson County’s overall average annual wage of $37,649. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $965,000.
A performance-based grant of $65,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Asbury’s expansion to North Carolina. The One NC 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 One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
“We welcome this expansion to Robeson County,” said N.C. Senator Danny Earl Britt, Jr. “This expansion is an investment in their operations and our people, who stand ready to support the company’s next phase of growth.”
“As a corporate citizen, Asbury knows the benefits of doing business here,” said N.C. Representative Charles Graham. “We appreciate the diligent work of the local and state partners that helped bring these additional jobs and investments to our community.”
Joining the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina were key partners in the project that included the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Robeson Community College, Robeson County, North Carolina’s Southeast, Robeson County Committee of 100, and Robeson County Office of Economic Development.