ARTICLE
Date	ArticleType
10/27/2007	Economic Development
86 NEW JOBS FOR CLEVELAND COUNTY
GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES 86 JOBS IN CLEVELAND COUNTY One North Carolina Fund Grant Helps Kitchen Ventilation Systems Locate in Kings Mountain Raleigh - Gov. Mike Easley today announced that Kitchen Ventilation Systems LLC will open a manufacturing plant in Cleveland County, creating 86 jobs and investing $5 million over the next three years. The announcement was made possible in part by a $68,000 One North Carolina Fund grant. “Kitchen Ventilation systems’ decision to locate in Cleveland County is a testament to our No. 1 ranked business climate,” Easley said. “We will continue to make the necessary investments in workforce development and education so that we remain the top choice for companies wanting to relocate or expand.” Kitchen Ventilation Systems of Schofield, Wis., will manufacture commercial kitchen ventilation systems at a facility in Kings Mountain. While wages will vary by job function, the average weekly wage of the new jobs will be $565 plus benefits, which is higher than the Cleveland County average weekly wage of $552 not including benefits “During the past several months we have had a team working to identify and recommend a site for our regional manufacturing operation in the southeastern U.S.,” said Brain Ranney, president of Kitchen Ventilation Systems. “After completing an extensive search and evaluation process we are excited to make Cleveland County our new manufacturing home. Key factors in our decision process were the ability to ship products within the region in two days or less, access to a skilled workforce, training and education opportunities, an expandable high quality facility, and aggressive economic development teams at the state, regional, county and local level.” “This decision is an affirmation that our economic development policies and incentives are working to attract quality firms and jobs, “said state Sen. Walter Dalton (D-Cleveland, Rutherford). “As a co-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee I will continue to work to implement programs that provide employers an educated and trainable workforce.” “I am proud of the work the state House of Representatives has done to establish the kind of pro-business climate that attracts well-paying jobs,” said state Rep. Bob England (D-Rutherford). “As a member of the Commerce Committee, I will work to make sure our workforce has the kind of education and dedication employers seek.” 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 20,000 jobs and $3 billion in investment have been created since 2001. Other partners who helped make this announcement possible include the N.C. Department of Commerce, Cleveland County, Duke Energy, Charlotte Regional Partnership, Cleveland Community College and the N.C. Employment Security Commission. For more information about employment opportunities, please visit the North Carolina Employment Security office at 404 East Marion St., Shelby , NC 28150, (704) 480-5414. --------------------------------------- Office of the Governor 116 W. Jones Street, Suite 202, Raleigh , NC 27603-8001 Phone: (919) 733-5612 Fax: (919) 733-5166 An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer