Canadian-based Imaflex Inc. will open its first U.S. plastics manufacturing facility in Thomasville, investing $10 million in the area and creating 50 new jobs over the next three years. The announcement was made possible in part by a One North Carolina Fund grant of $125,000.
"North Carolina ranks 9th in the U.S. in plastics manufacturing, an industry that provides well-paying, sustainable jobs for our hardworking families," said North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley.
Imaflex uses an extrusion process to make polyethylene films for packaging materials. The company utilizes computerized work stations and sophisticated, high-tech equipment to produce a top-quality product. The new jobs mostly will be skilled manufacturing positions that will pay an average of $550 to $600 per week plus benefits, which is more than the county’s average wage of $519.
The company will operate out of the former Tyco Plastics building in Thomasville, which has been empty for several years. Imaflex President and CEO Joe Abbandonato said the company chose to locate in North Carolina for a variety of reasons.
"In our assessment stages, we were welcomed and given some of that great Southern hospitality we in Canada keep hearing about," said Abbandonato. "We concluded that the Triad region not only had a better than average plastics industry workforce, but that, combined with our need to service our ever expanding Southeast customer base, we really could not choose another location."
The One North Carolina Fund assists the state in recruiting and expanding quality jobs by providing financial assistance to businesses or industries deemed by the governor to be vital to a healthy and growing state economy. Since 2001, this Fund has helped create 17,000 jobs and bring $2 billion in investment to the state.
