DuPont Invests $30 Million To Expand Kinston, North Carolina, Manufacturing Plant
10/23/2014
“Our expansion is due to the strong demand for our renewable Sorona polymer,” said William Feehery, President of DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “Sorona is the cornerstone of our biomaterials business – a product with superior performance in terms of softness and stain resistance. We are pleased to be able to manufacture these innovative products in the state of North Carolina with a fantastic workforce and the support of forward-thinking leaders and the local community.”
The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $80,000. 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.
DuPont employs more than 750 workers in North Carolina. The company’s Kinston site produces DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer. Sorona is made in part from annually renewable plant-based ingredients and is used primarily in fiber applications, including textiles used in apparel, home furnishings, and for carpets, including residential, commercial and automotive carpets and mats. The Kinston site is the largest polymer plant in the world that produces DuPontTM Sorona.
“Cities like Kinston in eastern North Carolina are continuing to see the benefits of employers recognizing what a great state we are to do business in,” North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker said. “By adding these jobs in Lenoir County, DuPont is able to take advantage of North Carolina’s incredible workforce and business-friendly attitude.”
“DuPont is one of North Carolina’s best known employers,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “By adding these high-paying, quality jobs to their production facility in Kinston, the company is making a much-needed difference to the economy in this part of the state.”
Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Rural Economic Development, N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Community Colleges, Lenoir Community College, Duke Energy Progress, Lenoir County Economic Development and Lenoir County.
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