GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES 123 JOBS IN LENOIR COUNTY

RALEIGH

Dec 15, 2008

Gov. Mike Easley announced today that Dopaco Inc., a national supplier of specialty paperboard packaging for the food industry, plans to expand its facility in Kinston, investing $25.3 million and adding 123 jobs during the next three years. The expansion was made possible in part by a $200,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“We are working hard to continue helping North Carolina businesses like Dopaco expand and provide good jobs for our citizens,” said Easley. “Companies know that North Carolina offers a highly skilled workforce and a great quality of life for employees, and that helps us maintain our top-ranked business climate.”
Dopaco Inc., headquartered in Pennsylvania, supplies paper cups, food trays, pizza boxes and other products for clients in the take-out and fast-food industry, including McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cascades Inc., has six manufacturing facilities in the United States, including a plant in Kinston that currently employs 204 workers.
In Kinston, Dopaco plans to increase its production of cups, lids and cartons to meet a growing demand in the fast-food sector. Salaries for the 123 new positions will vary by job type, but the average annual wage will be $46,610 not including benefits. That is more than the Lenoir County average wage of $27,040.
“We are very excited about the growth and expansion slated for our Kinston facility,” said Dopaco President Robert L. Cauffman. “We have always had a good working relationship with the state of North Carolina and the continued support of the state will assist us in expanding our operation, servicing our customers and creating new jobs in Lenoir County. We look forward to continued positive results from our Kinston operations.”
The One North Carolina 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. Through the use of the One North Carolina Fund, more than 35,000 jobs and $6.5 billion in investment have been created since 2001. All of these grants require local matches.
Other project partners include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Department of Transportation, Lenoir County, City of Kinston, Lenoir County Committee of 100 and Lenoir Community College. For more information about Dopaco Inc., including employment opportunities, go to: http://dopaco.com/.