Germany-Based Burkert Contromatic Corporation, doing business as Burkert Fluid Control Systems, is planning to expand in Huntersville, North Carolina, and create 61 new jobs. The company plans to invest more than $22 million over the next three years in Mecklenburg County.

Burkert is one of the world's leading manufacturers of measuring, controlling and regulating systems for fluids and gases. Burkert products are used in a wide range of industries and applications – including food and beverage processing, breweries and wineries, gas handling operations, water treatment facilities and pharmaceutical plants. Burkert valves can also be found in various medical equipment such as blood analyzers, dialysis machines and dental chairs.

The family-owned company, founded in 1946, with headquarters in Ingelfingen in southern Germany, the company currently employs 66 people in Mecklenburg County, plus another 14 in its California office.

“Burkert is excited to expand within Mecklenburg County”, said Harm Stratman, President/Director of Global Sales for Burkert. “We have a strong, experienced staff ready to take ‘The Next Step’ to move to a site with long range growth opportunities in Huntersville that offers quality of life, area schools and location close to Charlotte and the airport. We currently have staff in five local locations and look forward to all being under one roof.

“Our plans for a campus-setting include wellness opportunities for employees and families in the form of walking and bike trails, picnic areas and sports facilities,” continued Stratman. “We appreciate the ‘warm welcome’ from Huntersville and look forward to becoming involved in local education and conservation projects. We also plan to incorporate ‘green’ as well as renewable energy opportunities, such as solar and thermal when possible, into our future building designs. Our staff is our greatest asset, which we need to continue to be a ‘fast-growing’ company in the USA.”

The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $110,000. 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.

“Burkert has been steadily growing its operations here in North Carolina over the past eight years,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “It is great to see them expanding even more in North Carolina with these new jobs.”

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 Systems, Lake Norman Region Economic Development, Town of Huntersville, Mecklenburg County, Energy United and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.