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Great Southern Wood, Abbeville, Al., will invest $40 million to construct a lumber treating manufacturing facility in Laurinburg, N.C.
It will be Great Southern's 17th YellaWood plant and first in the Carolinas.
“We are excited that Great Southern Wood has decided to plant roots in North Carolina,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This new facility will strengthen our $41 billion forestry industry and offer more opportunities in Scotland County and beyond.”
Founded in 1970, Great Southern produces pressure-treated pine and distributes a variety of other building materials to dealers in the residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors across 28 states from Texas to the East Coast, and the District of Columbia.
“The forest sector serves as a critical foundation for economic success in all 100 counties,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Great Southern Wood will benefit from our manufacturing economy, our skilled workforce, and our unwavering commitment to driving economic growth in each corner of the state.”
A performance-based grant of $200,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help the company establish operations in North Carolina. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require matching participation from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
“This win illustrates the power of collaboration,” said N.C. Senator Danny Earl Britt, Jr. “The company’s decision is a great return on the investments that local, regional, and state partners have made to provide the site infrastructure that companies need.”
“Scotland County is a community built on strong partnerships, an ideal quality of life, and a central location on the East Coast,” said N.C. Representative Garland E. Pierce. “We welcome Great Southern Wood as an excellent addition to our forest supply chain.”
In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the North Carolina Community College System, Richmond Community College, the Golden LEAF Foundation, the North Carolina Railroad Company, CSX Rail, North Carolina’s Southeast, Duke Energy, the Southeast Regional Airport Authority, Scotland County, the Scotland County Economic Development Corporation, the Town of Maxton, and the City of Laurinburg.
