Manufacturer selects Graham County for United States debut
Robbinsville – It's hard to keep such good news under wraps for so long, but the Mountain West Partnership did an excellent job subduing the rumblings from what was going on for a number of months at 68 Snowbird Road.
To many, that address will forever be associated with Stanley Furniture. To a select few, it can be traced to Oak Valley Hardwoods.
To the future, it is the home of EcoKing Solutions.
Unveiled Tuesday morning, the China-based manufacturer is breathing new life into the once-dormant 588,000-square-foot facility. In establishing its first United States plant, EcoKing Solutions will invest $80.5 million locally over the next five years. The company has already launched a much-needed remodel on the location, which will cost $21 million.
All labor for the revamp will come from companies in western North Carolina.
"Today is another example of why North Carolina is a sought-after state," North Carolina Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development Reginald Speight said at a press conference, held Tuesday afternoon in the Graham County Community Building. "Manufacturing is the cornerstone of the economy here in North Carolina."
Economic impact
The positive splash EcoKing's presence will have in the region cannot be underscored.
Upon opening, EcoKing will create 300 jobs – which will send it to the top of the list for employers in Graham County alone. The company's projected, average salary for employees of $46,700 is slightly higher than the county's median rate of $46,628 and once fully operational, the number of jobs could expand to 515 – with an yearly payroll of $14 million.
"We're all familiar with these economic development announcements that happen for Raleigh and Charlotte," Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Franklin) said Tuesday. "To have the same kind of impact that this is compared to if something opens in one of those towns, a manufacturer would have to open a business with 37,200 employees. That's how big this is."
The building itself once housed Stanley Furniture, where residents throughout the area made careers until its closing in 2014 forced 400 employees out of work.
Robbinsville Mayor Shaun Adams was an employee at Stanley when the closing occurred.
"As someone personally affected by the plant's closing in 2014; restoring manufacturing jobs to Robbinsville has been one of my top priorities as mayor since being elected and I believe these jobs will greatly benefit our residents," Adams said in an email, shortly after the conference ended.
After a $12.1 million investment from CEO Jimmy Lee, Oak Valley Hardwoods began utilizing 30,000 square feet (19.6% of capacity) of the building in April 2015, but was forced to close May 9, 2019 due to a number of factors – funding being the largest.
At the time of its closing, Oak Valley had 23 workers on the payroll and maxed out at 35.
Still, both companies were known to draw employees from across western North Carolina to Graham County, which ranks 97th in the state for population.
Prior to Tuesday's press conference, the county board of commissioners and the Robbinsville board of aldermen met for a special-called joint meeting, to provide incentives that will be paid out over a five-year period. The county will pay $1.5 million, while the town will deliver $1.3 million.
Additionally, the state will provide a $9 million incentive package during the same timeframe.
"North Carolina offers global companies a perfect location for expansion into North America,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a Tuesday press release. “We welcome EcoKing to western North Carolina, where it will find a welcoming business climate, education and workforce programs tailored to its needs, and the full range of competitive advantages that make North Carolina the top state to do business in the country.”
EcoKing Solutions
A quick Google search about the company might lead to a bevy of misinformation, but that will soon change.
Founded in 2008, EcoKing Solutions is a subsidiary of a company known in its native country of China as Zhejiang (pronounced "Juh-jyahng," in which "jyahng" rhymes with "song") Kingsun Eco-pack Co., Ltd. Currently, the company operates three factories in China and employs around 1,500 people.
As the name indicates, EcoKing specializes in eco-friendly, biodegradable pulp tableware (such as plates, bowls and trays) and food packaging containers.
A display set up at Tuesday's press conference illustrated how much of an impact they have in our daily lives already, as restaurants such as Chick-fil-A and Chipotle utilize EcoKing's to-go containers.
The company currently operates 32 production lines, with an annual output of 75,000 tons of disposable paper tableware and food containers. According to its mission statement, EcoKing "centers on developing green technology that improves sustainability and quality of paper-based products."
Locations in Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee were scouted over a six-month period before EcoKing selected Graham County as its initial U.S. hub. EcoKing Solutions Chairman Ping Zhang said at Tuesday's conference that all materials would be sourced domestically.
"It will be made in the U.S.A., and sold to the world," Zhang proudly stated Tuesday, which drew applause from the crowd. "In the future, we may face a lot of difficulty, but we have the confidence that with everybody's support we will have a successful business in North Carolina."
Multiple reasons were cited by the company, including:
* Ease of hookup to utilities, thanks to existing power provided by Duke Energy and water/sewer lines already in place from the Town of Robbinsville;
* Company officials were said to be extremely impressed with the community's hospitality and the motivation of the local workforce;
* A plant in Robbinsville will help establish a footprint in the U.S., and reduce shipping costs;
* The county's natural beauty and border with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which EcoKing hopes will foster a high quality of life for employees.
The company also discussed plans to host both national and international partners around the area, thanks to its scenery.
An open house is tentatively scheduled to be held in the fall, after EcoKing installs equipment and has made progress on improving the facility.
A date for launching the plant was not revealed at Tuesday's press conference.
Mountain West Partnership is a division of the Southwestern Commission, which works to develop economic growth across western North Carolina.
EcoKing's arrival in Graham County was a collaboration between the partnership, the commission, Stein, Corbin, House Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Franklin), Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Hendersonville), Duke Energy, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the Southwestern Workforce Development Board, Tri-County Community College, Western Carolina University, Old Town Brokers, Graham County and the Town of Robbinsville.
While delivering closing remarks Tuesday, county commission chair Meggan Smith hit the nail on the head when summarizing the newfound partnership between EcoKings and Graham County, by delivering a quote from Helen Keller: "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."