GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES 42 JOBS IN STANLY COUNTY
One North Carolina Fund Grant Helps Chicago Tube & Iron Expand in Locust

RALEIGH – Gov. Mike Easley today announced that Chicago Tube & Iron Co., a national supplier and fabricator of custom-made industrial and commercial tubing, will invest $10.8 million and create 42 jobs during the next three years in Stanly County. The expansion was made possible in part by an $84,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

“Chicago Tube and Iron’s decision will bring good jobs to the people of Stanly County,” Easley said.  “Our performance-based incentives, friendly business atmosphere and great quality of life make North Carolina a place where companies know they can expand and be successful.”

CT&I is a privately held company headquartered in Romeoville, Ill., with sales and fabrication facilities in 10 locations across the country.  The company’s plant in Oakboro currently employs 76 workers who produce boiler elements for the electric utility industry. The company will add the 42 jobs to the existing 76 and expand into a new 128,000-square-foot facility that will be built on an 18-acre site in nearby Locust.

Individual wages for the 42 new jobs will vary according by job title and responsibilities, but the overall average is expected to be around $42,000 a year not including benefits, which is significantly higher than the Stanly County average of $27,508 per year.

“We are thrilled to be able to expand our operations within our current home in Stanly County,” said CT&I President and Chief Operating Officer Don McNeeley. “We have always been pleased with the quality of the labor force here, and the incentives provided by both the state and local authorities made staying in North Carolina the right call for both our company and our employees.”

The One North Carolina Fund assists the state in industry recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance through local governments 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 a local match. Through the use of this Fund, more than 28,000 jobs and $4 billion in investment have been created since 2001.

“Chicago Tube & Iron has been a good employer and we are proud they will expand in Stanly County,” said Sen. William Purcell (D-Stanly County). “City, county and state officials are to be applauded for their strong team work.”

Other partners who helped make this announcement possible include the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Department of Transportation, Stanly County and the City of Locust.  For more information about Chicago Tube & Iron including employment opportunities, visit http://www.chicagotube.com

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