Area Development
RATO Power Co Ltd., a China-based manufacturer of outdoor power equipment engines, will locate its North American headquarters in Lincoln County, western North Carolina.

RATO manufactures ATVs, motorcycles, water pumps, generators, and general purpose engines used in outdoor power equipment. The company is expected to create as many as 40 jobs in the Denver, North Carolina area, which has a population of about 13,000. This will be RATO's first facility outside of China.

Zhu Liedong, RATO President predicted through a translator that "the general purposed engine industry will have a new journey of rapid development." He noted RATOs engine has already made outstanding achievement in a growing number of markets.

He advised in order to be the respectable enterprise in its industry, RATO created "a team with careful consideration, full commitment, devotion to studying, and confidence which can guarantee the fast development of the company and also maintain the harmony and unification of quality and profit, size and speed."

"Creating jobs is my top priority," Governor Bev Perdue said. "North Carolina continues to attract globally competitive companies because of our highly ranked business climate and our tremendous workforce. We welcome these new jobs and the commitment to North Carolina by RATO, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership."

RATO's global headquarters is located in Chongqing, China. In January, 5-year-old RATO acquired Denver Global Products based in Denver, N.C. Roger Leon, the president of Denver Global, will become the president of RATO North America.