Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Ziehl-Abegg, an international manufacturer of industrial fans, will expand its production facility in Guilford County. The company plans to create 42 jobs and invest $2.47 million during the next three years in Greensboro. The project was made possible in part by a $60,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“Most of my time is spent on one mission: creating jobs, not just by attracting new companies to our wonderful state but by helping fuel expansions by the businesses that already call North Carolina home,” Gov. Perdue said. “Ziehl-Abegg knows firsthand that we have made smart decisions in North Carolina to invest in education and infrastructure, building an educated, skilled workforce and a climate where it’s easy to do business.”
Ziehl-Abegg is an international manufacturer of elevator drives, motors, industrial fans and control systems. Based in Germany, the company’s North American production of industrial fans has been located in Greensboro since 2003. Ziehl-Abegg industrial fans are premium grade and high efficiency, and are used in a variety of applications including wind turbines, solar arrays, refrigeration, heating and air conditioning. The company currently employs 13 workers in Greensboro and will increase the workforce by 42 jobs over three years and potentially 52 jobs within four years.
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $38,667 plus benefits. The Guilford County average annual wage is $39,520.
“We at Ziehl-Abegg are glad to realize our growth and expanding goals for our North American operations in North Carolina and the Piedmont Triad area,” says Mirco Herrmann, Managing Director of Ziehl-Abegg, Inc. “The tradition of manufacturing, coupled with the transportation centers and education systems here in the region, all combine for a great business climate. We appreciate the city, county and state authorities for their emphasis on making North Carolina a business friendly area.”
The One NC 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. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.
“Ziehl-Abegg had delivered terrific news for Greensboro,” said Sen. Don Vaughan. This announcement is a perfect example of why I voted to protect funding for the One North Carolina Fund earlier this year.”
“Today’s announcement deserves some celebration in Guilford County and some sharp attention across the state,” said Rep. Pricey Harrison, of Greensboro, “because it demonstrates that the tough decisions we made during these lean years to continue investing in education and worker training continue to pay off and help pull us out of the recession. Our educated and skilled workforce are helping us top other states in the competition for jobs.”
North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 50,000 jobs and $9 billion in investment have been created since 2001. Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, the City of Greensboro and Guilford County.
For more information about Ziehl-Abegg, visit www.ziehl-abegg.us.