Sunrise Global Marketing, LLC, leading manufacturers of Greenworks-branded battery-powered outdoor equipment for professionals and Do-It-Yourself consumers, will create 187 jobs over five years in Burke County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company plans to invest $23.225 million to expand its operations in North Carolina by creating a state-of-the-art facility capable of housing warehousing, assembly and manufacturing.
“North Carolina continues to attract manufacturers because of our strong, educated workforce, robust infrastructure and favorable business climate,” said Governor Cooper. “Sunrise Global Marketing will find a community of committed educators, talent and public and private partners ready to help them succeed.”
Sunrise Global Marketing’s North American Headquarters is currently located in Mooresville, N.C. The company manufactures and markets battery-powered outdoor equipment for consumers and landscaping professionals. Using best-in-class technology, the products - including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, chain saws, string trimmers, hedge trimmers and more – deliver the power and performance of comparable gas-powered tools without the mess, hassle, pollution, and noise associated with gas products. The new Burke County project provides flexibility for future expansion of North American operations to include warehousing, assembly and manufacturing.
“This expansion by Sunrise Global Marketing requires a strong business climate and infrastructure like what we have in North Carolina,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “Our state’s ports, roads, utility infrastructure and talent helped Sunrise Global Marketing make the pivotal decision to move production to North Carolina.”
The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. (EDPNC) led the state’s support for the company’s expansion.
Sunrise Global Marketing will add a variety of job functions with this expansion. Salaries will vary by position, with an average annual wage of $33,010.
“North Carolina has proven to be a great home for our North American Headquarters, and we’re both excited and proud to be moving another component of our organization to this great state,” said Chris Allen, President of Sunrise Global Marketing. “North Carolina allows us to continue to recruit and retain top-tier talent. It provides a high quality of life for our team members, while also affording us all of the other fundamentals to conduct business at a world-class level."
Sunrise Global Marketing’s expansion in Burke County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project will grow the state’s economy by an estimated $428 million. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1.377 million, spread over 12 years.
State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.
Because Sunrise Global Marketing chose to locate in Burke County, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving as much as $153,000 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 2 county such as Burke, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps communities across the state. More information on the state’s economic tier designations is available here.
“Manufacturers are choosing Burke County because of our talent, business climate, and because Western North Carolina is a great place to live and work,” said N.C. Senator Warren Daniel. “I am proud to join our community in welcoming Sunrise Global Marketing.”
“Sunrise Global Marketing could have gone anywhere, and they chose Burke County,” said N.C. Representative Hugh Blackwell. “Our community came together to attract this project, and we’ll continue working together to make it a success.”
Partnering with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Burke County, Burke Development, Inc., the City of Morganton and Duke Energy. Total incentives available for this project exceed $8 million.
ABOUT SUNRISE GLOBAL MARKETING
Sunrise Global Marketing is the leader in battery-powered outdoor power tools for DIY consumers and landscaping professionals. The company distributes Greenworks branded and private label products, as well as products for an extensive network of Original Equipment Manufacturers. With a robust line of Greenworks branded products including 24-volt, 40-volt, 60-volt, 80-volt, and commercial grade 82-volt battery-powered outdoor power equipment, a full line of corded equipment, reel mowers and electric pressure washers, Greenworks offers the right tool for every job. Utilizing best-in-class technology, Greenworks tools deliver the power and performance of comparable gas-powered tools without the mess, hassle, pollution, and noise associated with gas products. For more information, find us on the web at Greenworkstools.com or Greenworkscommercial.com.