Posted October 27, 2014

 

RALEIGH, N.C. – E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) is expanding its operations in Lenoir County, N.C., Gov. Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced. The company plans to create 18 new jobs and invest $30 million over the next three years in Kinston, N.C.

 

“DuPont is one of North Carolina’s best-known employers,” said Gov. McCrory. “By adding these high-paying, quality jobs to their production facility in Kinston, the company is making a much-needed difference to the economy in this part of the state.”

 

DuPont employs more than 750 workers in North Carolina. The company’s Kinston site produces DuPont™ Sorona® renewably sourced polymer. Sorona® is made in part from annually renewable plant-based ingredients and is used primarily in fiber applications, including textiles used in apparel, home furnishings, and for carpets, including residential, commercial and automotive carpets and mats. Producing Sorona® uses 30 percent less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 63 percent compared to producing an equal amount of nylon 6, a widely used carpet material, according to the company. The Kinston site is the largest polymer plant in the world that produces DuPontTM Sorona®.

  

Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will likely exceed $60,000 plus benefits. The Lenoir County average annual wage is $32,744.

 

“Our expansion is due to the strong demand for our renewable Sorona® polymer,” said William Feehery, president of DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “Sorona® is the cornerstone of our biomaterials business – a product with superior performance in terms of softness and stain resistance. We are pleased to be able to manufacture these innovative products in the state of North Carolina with a fantastic workforce and the support of forward-thinking leaders and the local community.”

 

The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $80,000. 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.