GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES TITAN AMERICA TO ADD 161 JOBS IN NEW HANOVER
One North Carolina Fund Grant Helps Bring $469 Million Investment to Castle Hayne   

RALEIGH – Gov. Mike Easley today announced that Titan America LLC, a major producer of heavy building materials, is planning a new facility in Castle Hayne in New Hanover County.  The cement plant, which will create 161 new jobs during the next three years and a company investment of $469 million, was made possible in part by a $300,000 One North Carolina Fund grant.

“North Carolina continues to lead the nation in manufacturing, making the industry a strong contributor to our state’s economy,” said Easley.  “Our top-ranked business climate and skilled workforce have attracted thousands of manufacturing businesses, which in turn help provide good jobs and a high quality of life that our residents have come to expect.”

 Titan America, a premier heavy building materials company with offices and plants throughout the eastern United States and in Canada, employs more than 2,000 people.  The Virginia-based company’s operations include cement plants, ready-mix concrete plants, concrete block plants, quarries, import and rail terminals and fly-ash production facilities.

 The 161 new jobs will help the company meet a growing regional need for products made with cement.  Salaries for these new positions will vary by job type, but the average annual wage will be $72,068 not including benefits, more than the New Hanover County average wage of $33,228.

 “We are excited about expanding our business in North Carolina and look forward to taking the next steps toward our 30-year business plan in New Hanover County,” said Marino Papazoglou, Titan’s project manager for the New Hanover County endeavor. “Titan is pleased to accept this One North Carolina Fund grant, and believes it speaks well to the state’s commitment to our industry.”

 The One North Carolina Fund assists the state in industry recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state.  One North Carolina Fund grants require and are contingent upon local matching funds.  Through the use of this fund, more than 28,000 jobs and $4 billion in investment have been created since 2001.

Other partners that helped make this announcement possible include the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Department of Transportation, New Hanover County, Wilmington Industrial Development Inc. and North Carolina’s Southeast, the regional economic development marketing organization for southeastern North Carolina.

For more information about the company, including employment opportunities, visit the company’s web site at www.titanamerica.com/index.html .