NEW LONDON — The national home-building company Clayton Supply is set to invest $46.6 million into Stanly County with a new facility that is slated to add 263 jobs to the local job market.
Gov. Roy Cooper and the N.C. Department of Commerce announced in an Aug. 22 press release that Clayton Supply — a division of Tennessee-based Clayton Home Building Group — has selected New London as the location of its next facility.
“Manufacturers trust North Carolina because they know we’ve earned our reputation for having the best advanced-manufacturing workforce in the nation,” said Gov. Cooper. “From our central, east coast location that makes it easy to reach customers, to our world-class transportation infrastructure and workforce training systems, North Carolina offers everything these companies need to succeed.”
Per the official announcement out of Raleigh, the Department of Commerce anchored support for Clayton Supply during the site evaluation and decision-making process, indicating confidence in the home-building company that was acquired by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway for $1.7 billion in 2003.
Clayton Home Building Group is currently the largest U.S. builder of modular and manufactured homes.
“A quality company like Clayton Supply is a welcome addition to Stanly County,” N.C. Sen. Carl Ford (R-District 33) said in the press release from the governor’s office. “We’re the perfect location for leading industries, and I’m confident the company will find the people and the support they need to thrive and grow in our community.”
Clayton Supply’s upcoming facility in New London will expand the company’s ability to support the growing market demand within the attainable housing industry and add to an existing portfolio that incorporates a range of off-site and site-built housing.
State Rep. Wayne Sasser (R-District 67) also addressed the announcement of the new project.
“It’s great to see Clayton Supply choose Stanly County for the next phase of their company’s growth. We welcome these new jobs and this significant investment, which will lift our region to a welcome new level of prosperity,” Sasser said.
According to the estimated financial figures, the average salary for the new positions at Clayton Supply’s New London facility will be $59,388 — nearly $20,000 more than the current average wage of a Stanly County worker ($41,612).
With an estimated state economy growth of $649 million, the upcoming project will be partially facilitated by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) with a 12-year term that was recently approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee.
Incorporating the tax revenues from the 263 new jobs and a capital investment of $46.6 million, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $2,063,700 across 12 years.
Along with the state’s Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the facilitation of the new Clayton Supply project was assisted by the N.C. General Assembly, the N.C. Community College System, the N.C. Department of Revenue, Stanly County, the Town of New London, and the Stanly County Economic Development Commission.
“North Carolina is the number one manufacturing state in the Southeast United States,” Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said. “This leadership depends on a strong, well-trained workforce. As our First in Talent strategic plan makes clear, investing in our people and educational systems creates economic opportunities for everyone.”