Area Development
RC Creations, a seafood processing company and division of Acme Smoked Fish Corporation, will invest more than $25 million to establish a new facility in Pender County, North Carolina, with plans to create 120 jobs by the end of 2017.

The Currie production facility will import fresh and frozen seafood from around the world to create ready-to-eat seafood products that are packaged and shipped domestically and internationally. The facility will utilize state of the art technologies to continue to meet and exceed current Global Food Safety Initiatives and Food Safety Modernization Act requirements.

“We are delighted to have chosen Pender County as the new home for RC Creations. After an extensive multi-state search and selection process, the combination of the area’s pro-business climate, motivating incentive offerings and high quality of life, made it the most viable option for our organizations rapid growth. We look forward to providing a safe, reliable and attractive workplace for the residents of Pender County,” said Richard Nordt, RC Creations, Vice President of Manufacturing.

“Our location on the Eastern Seaboard and top-notch workforce make North Carolina the perfect place for RC Creations to process and deliver seafood products to markets around the world,” said Gov. Pat McCrory. “This project demonstrates how investments in customized training programs at community colleges and critical infrastructure can spur job creation.”

“We’re very excited about bringing these new jobs to Pender County, an area that’s been hit hard by the recession,” said Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker. “Companies like RC Creations recognize that North Carolina is a great place to do business.”

The project was made possible in part by an award to RC Creations from the state Job Development Investment Grant program, as voted by the state Economic Investment Committee. Receipt of the award is based on proof of job creation and other performance requirements. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state, and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

Under the terms of the company’s JDIG award, RC Creations is eligible to receive up to twelve annual grants equal to 62 percent of the state personal income tax withholdings from the eligible new jobs created since the date of the initial award. Receipt of each annual grant is based on state-certified proof that the company has fulfilled incremental job creation requirements. Over twelve years, the JDIG award could yield aggregate benefits to RC Creations of up to $975,000.

Other partners who assisted with this announcement include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, N.C. State Ports Authority, Duke Energy, Golden LEAF Foundation, Pender County, Wilmington Business Development, UNC Wilmington, PSNC Energy and AT&T.