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November 21, 2018
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By Vrginia Annable
vannable@newstopicnews.com
A Danish business that put down roots in Caldwell County last year is rapidly growing and received a job-creation grant from the county to help it.
Roblon US Inc., a manufacturing equipment and textiles manufacturer that bought the NEPTCO Fiber Optic Cable Components business from Chase Corp. in April 2017, is expanding its operations in Granite Falls with an expected 100 new full-time employees in the next year.
The company operates out of part of the Chase Corp./NEPTCO plant in Caldwell County and is planning to grow operations with $1 million in new equipment and renovations. In the next year, the plant may be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Vice President of Sales in the U.S. Jamie Little. Right now, the company manufactures fiber optic cables 24 hours a day, six days a week.
Little said the biggest hurdle the company has encountered in its expansion is the workforce, but they have brought on 66 new employees since April 2017.
“Right now we are at full capacity,” Little said. “We’re looking for expansion, we’re looking for investment. … We’re in a good spot but at the same time it can be a problem. We need more people.”
The commissioners approved a jobs incentive grant of $2,000 jer full-time position added for up to 100 jobs over the next year.
In other business, Caldwell County may finally reap the benefits of landfill gas if an agreement to sell methane to be made into renewable energy pans out.
Three years ago, Caldwell County approved an agreement between Republic Services of North Carolina and third party to sell the methane that comes from the Caldwell County landfill and rent some land at the landfill as well, but the project never moved forward. The agreement stipulated that the county and Republic would share ownership of the gas and would split profits from any gas sales 50-50.
Monday, the Caldwell County Board of Commissioners approved another agreement with the same unnamed third party, with all the same terms, except instead of turning the gas escaping from the landfill into energy, it would be turned into renewable natural gas.