Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Niagara Bottling will open a new plant in Iredell County. The company plans to create 66 jobs and invest $45 million during the next three years in Mooresville. The project was made possible in part by a $200,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“International businesses looking for new locations can set up shop wherever they want,” Gov. Perdue said. “But companies like Niagara are choosing North Carolina for a clear reason – a ready-to-go workforce that is educated and trained, thanks to our investments in our schools, community colleges and universities.”
Niagara Bottling, LLC, a family-owned, private-label, bottled water manufacturer, is headquartered in Ontario, CA. Since 1963, the company has grown to operate nine plants around the country. The company provides high-quality, low-cost bottled water for grocery, club store, convenience and wholesale customers. Niagara will open its tenth plant in Mooresville to serve the Mid-Atlantic region. The plant will be totally vertically-integrated; meaning it will produce both its own caps and bottles, as well as, fill and package bottles of purified and spring water.
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $39,447 plus benefits. The Iredell County average annual wage is $36,348.
“Niagara is excited to announce Mooresville as its next home community,” said Brian Hess, EVP of Operations & Legal Affair. “With the excellent workforce and dynamic community spirit, we have no doubt that our facility will be world class.”
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.
North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 50,000 jobs and $9 billion in investment have been created since 2001. Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Duke Energy, the Town of Mooresville, Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation and Iredell County.
For more information about Niagara, including job opportunities, go to www.niagarawater.com.