Oak Valley Hardwoods, Inc. is planning to invest more than $10.1 million during the next five years to expand operations into Graham County and create 114 new jobs in Robbinsville, North Carolina.

Headquartered in Charlotte, Oak Valley Hardwoods is a subsidiary of Tides and Times Group USA, Inc., and operates lumber, saw mill and dry kiln facilities and produces an assortment of wood products. It already has operations in locations across North Carolina including Rutherford, Haywood, Caldwell, McDowell and Polk counties employing more than 160 workers.

“We are excited about the opportunity to expand our operations into Graham County,” said Oak Valley Hardwoods CEO Jimmy Lee. “It has been a pleasure working with the Town of Robbinsville, Graham County, and the State of North Carolina, and we appreciate the support we have received. We plan on moving into the old Stanley Furniture Building quickly and look forward to a successful 2015.”

“Oak Valley Hardwoods is another one of North Carolina’s great homegrown success stories,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “Starting out 10 years ago, this business has steadily grown into one of the country’s major lumber suppliers to overseas markets.”

“Timber is one of North Carolina’s great renewable resources, so the expansion of Oak Valley Hardwoods is important to that industry,” Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker said. “I am looking forward to seeing even more expansion in the timber sector in the future.”

The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $156,000. 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.

In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C., other partners that helped with this project include: North Carolina Community College System, Tri-County Community College, Duke Energy, Town of Robbinsville, Graham County, and Graham County Economic Development.