A U.K. industrial chemical manufacturer, ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd., confirmed plans Thursday for opening a plant in Winston-Salem, pledging to create 30 full-time jobs and spend $5.63 million on capital investments.
Family owned ReAgent, founded in 1977, is based in Cheshire. It specializes in manufacturing, packaging and blending chemical products under its own brand and for contract manufacturing.
The announcement comes after the manufacturer was made eligible for performance-based economic incentives on Sept. 11 by Forsyth County Board of Commissioners and on Sept. 15 by Winston-Salem City Council.
ReAgent also considered other sites in North Carolina, as well as in Atlanta, Richmond, Va., and Spartanburg, S.C.
ReAgent is pledging to pay an average annual wage of $59,217, as well as spend $3.63 million on real property and $2 million in machinery and equipment. The jobs would include laboratory technicians, chemical production, administration, warehousing and sales.
“Having identified significant potential for our products and services in the U.S., we began our search for a new location,” ReAgent chief executive Richard Hudson said in a news release.
“North Carolina stood out for a variety of reasons, including geographic location, proximity to customers and suppliers, and a good manufacturing labor market. We identified an ideal property enhanced by all of those assets here in Winston-Salem.
“In the long term, we envision our U.S. facility will be larger than our U.K. base.”
Ellis Keifer, vice president of Economic Development for Greater Winston-Salem Inc., said the ReAgent commitment comes after 13 months of negotiations with the company.
“The company was looking for proximity to industry clusters including manufacturing, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, which helped us to stand out against other potential markets,” Keifer said.
Commissioners approved a performance-based incentives request for up to $53,962 over five years.
“Their decision to locate here speaks to the strength of our workforce, our business climate and our ability to attract international companies seeking to grow in key industries,” Forsyth commission chairman Don Martin said.
Council approved up to $57,168 in performance-based incentives, also over five years.
“This project reflects our community’s growing reputation as a hub for advanced manufacturing and life sciences,” Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines said.
Winston-Salem Councilman Scott Andree-Brown said during the Sept. 15 incentives discussion that once he learned the company was ReAgent, he researched the company and “found it to have a clean environmental policy.”
Commissioners also authorized applying for a $350,000 Building Reuse grant from the state Rural Economic Development Division on behalf of ReAgent.
The company would purchase a 20,000-square-foot building in Winston-Salem and a nearby second building “for future growth.”
In both instances, the incentive funds would help pay for capital investment expenses.
ReAgent also is pursuing a state workforce training grant that would feature Forsyth Technical Community College.
rcraver@wsjournal.com
336-727-7376
@rcraverWSJ
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