Bombardier Recreational Products Inc, a Canadian manufacturer of motorized recreational vehicles, plans a $1.1 million expansion to its Spruce Pine, Mitchell County, North Carolina plant, creating an estimated 70 jobs.

Gov. Bev Perdue said as an incentive the firm, which manufactures Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft and boats, Rotax engines, Evinrude and Johnson outboard engines, along with Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles and roadsters, received a $210,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

"Advanced manufacturers like BRP want to move to North Carolina or expand here because our state's investments in education and job training have created a workforce that is second to none," Gov. Perdue said. "Those investments helped create a strong business climate that continues to help create new jobs."

The company currently employs more than 160 people at its Spruce Pine facility, which also manufactures aluminum castings and foam models for the automotive, trucking, railroad, construction and alternative energy industries.

"Our Spruce Pine facility is a world class competitor," said Frank Bailey, Director, Powertrain US, BRP. "The grant from the government of North Carolina, along with BRP's capital investment, will help bring this facility's infrastructure and labor force on par with its vision."

"BRP products are the best in the world, and many of our engine components are built right here in North Carolina. We look forward to expanding our lost foam casting business and bring this excellence to other industries and markets," he added.