Charlotte, N.C.-based Jeld-Wen Holding Inc. is investing $7.9 million into a new production facility in Statesville, N.C., where it will create 235 jobs to expand its VPI Quality Windows brand.
This will be the second manufacturing facility for VPI Quality Windows, a brand within the Jeld-Wen portfolio, and it will help Jeld-Wen better serve its growing customer base, according to a company news release.
VPI has been producing windows for 25 years and focuses on custom window and door fabrication, midrises, multifamily housing and commercial projects.
The VPI brand is respected in the industry and is an integral part of Jeld-Wen's growth strategy in North America, according to Daniel Castillo, president of Jeld-Wen North America.
"We expect to significantly grow our multifamily and commercial window business through this investment and our innovative and energy-efficient solutions," Castillo said in the release.
Company officials see significant demand for VPI windows nationally, added Noreen Pratscher, vice president of global corporate communications.
"We have many projects in high-growth areas in both Western, Central and Eastern regions," she said in an email.
Although the company doesn't extrude window profiles, it is a window manufacturer, Pratscher said.
"We manufacture products that meet architectural design specifications, which sometimes require custom sizing to meet codes and standards within the building design," she explained.
The new jobs will be for management, operations support and production position, and they pay an average annual salary of $51,648. That creates a potential payroll impact of more than $12.1 million per year, according to North Carolina officials. Iredell County's overall average annual salary is $51,136.
The expansion received a 12-year Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) from the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee. The grant is based on a formula that takes into account the tax revenues generated by 235 new jobs. The JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement of up to $2.2 million spread over 12 years if the company meets job and investment targets.
Because Jeld-Wen is expanding to Iredell County, the company also could receive up to $735,000 from a utility account in the state's Industrial Development Fund. The account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business and new jobs.
In addition to the new facility in Statesville, which is expected to open July 1, Jeld-Wen recently announced a capacity expansion to its North Wilkesboro plant that will result in additional jobs by summer 2022.
Jeld-Wen currently employs over 500 people in North Carolina.