GOV. EASLEY PROMOTES N.C. TO ITALIAN BUSINESS LEADERS IN PADOVA
 Members of North Carolina Delegation Tour Arneg Plant and Host Recruitment Event

RALEIGH – Gov. Mike Easley today met with leaders of the Italian business organization Confindustria-Padova and officials from Arneg SPA, a Italy-based company currently building a manufacturing facility in Davidson County.  Members of a state Department of Commerce economic development mission delegation also toured the Arneg plant in Padova and made presentations about opportunities in North Carolina to representatives of the Italian business community.

“Arneg is one of several dozen Italian companies that have chosen to move or expand in our state because of our business climate, schools and well-trained workforce,” Easley said.  “Today we hope to show other companies the success these international businesses enjoy in our state so we can attract more jobs, investment and support for the manufacturing, textiles and other industries that are growing in North Carolina’s economy.”

At a recruitment event following the Arneg plant tour, Italian business leaders heard a presentation from N.C. Commerce Secretary Jim Fain about the advantages of doing business in North Carolina.  Arneg staff also made a presentation about the Arneg-U.S. project and focused on the legal aspects of establishing a subsidiary in the United States, its long-term plans and how to obtain state and local assistance.

Arneg started in the 1960s and is an international supplier of retail and commercial refrigerated cases.  It is the third largest case manufacturer in the world with 16 manufacturing plants and eight regional sales offices in 20 nations.  Arneg has operations in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America and its sales total $500 million.

In April 2007, Easley announced that Arneg LLC, a subsidiary of Arneg SPA, had received a Job Development Investment Grant to build a refrigerated case manufacturing facility in Davidson County. The project is expected to create 181 jobs during five years and a company investment of $20 million.  Construction has begun on a site in Lexington.  The new jobs will be a mix of production, sales, distribution, management, office support and engineering positions.  Individual wages will vary with job responsibilities, but the average annual salary will be more than $31,000 a year plus benefits.  That is more than the Davidson County average of $29,380.  The Lexington plant will be Arneg’s second production facility in the United States.

Confindustria is the lead organization representing manufacturing, construction, energy, transportation, tourism and service industries in Italy.  It brings together 126,590 voluntary member companies of all sizes with a total of 4.7 million employees.  Confindustria-Padova is one of the organization’s 18 regional locations.

 

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