Harger, Inc., a leading supplier of electrical protection equipment, will expand its current operations in Fairmont, North Carolina. The project is expected to create 20 jobs.

The company’s $3.2 million investment in Robeson County will support new product lines in both grounding and lightning protection.

“Fourteen years ago we made a decision to build a plant in Fairmont,” said Mark Harger, owner and steward of Harger Lightning and Grounding. “The operation has more than tripled its output over that timeframe, primarily due to the excellent workforce. We look forward to continuing growth for years to come in Fairmont.”

A performance-based grant of $75,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Harger’s expansion in Robeson County. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

The company’s new jobs will yield an average salary of $39,408, although actual wages will vary by position. The Robeson County average annual wage is $35,003.

“Manufacturers like Harger continue to expand and find value in rural North Carolina,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Our state offers an outstanding, diverse workforce, a great quality of life and infrastructure that enables industrial companies to thrive here.”

Harger, founded in 1960 and headquartered in Grayslake, Illinois, provides solutions for lightning protection and the grounding of electrical equipment. The company’s experience spans all facets of these systems including engineering, systems design, product manufacturing, and installation. Harger serves a wide range of industrial markets, including utilities, railroads, the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors, and data communications, among others.

“There’s no greater testimonial to North Carolina’s strength as a manufacturing hub than when a company doing business in the state decides to expand here,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “As the state’s new strategic economic development plan makes clear, North Carolina’s diverse workforce is our greatest business attraction asset, so it’s more important than ever to invest in the educational and training systems that lead to successful workforce development.”

Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC), Robeson Community College, Robeson County, North Carolina’s Southeast, the Robeson County Committee of 100 and the Robeson County Office of Economic Development.