Local Industry and Community College Join Forces at Davie County Job Fair

May 16, 2019 By Mark Schambach

Davie CONNECT and DCCC, the Community College of Davidson and Davie Counties joined forces on Wednesday, May 8^th at the Davie Campus in Mocksville for the first co-sponsored job fair.

The event brought together more than 20 employers representing a wide range of professions and industries. Career options at the job fair included positions in the areas of healthcare, advanced manufacturing, business, IT, education and more.

According to Carolyn McManamy, director of Davie CONNECT, “Our first co-hosted job fair attracted a large number of job seekers and we are thrilled with the teamwork and the support of DCCC as we strive to connect businesses to resources and kids to careers and to provide innovative workforce solutions for Davie County.”

“This job fair was open to students and to the public as well. Our employers gained access to a wide range of talent which provided wonderful direct recruiting opportunities that reached beyond the walls of the community college student body. We were very pleased that our pre-event outreach attracted both DCCC students and other job seekers from the community,” added McManamy.

A survey of job seekers attending the job fair indicated that 98% of job seekers attending the job fair were satisfied with the variety of employers represented while 97% of job seekers found the schedule of the job fair was convenient. 40% of attendees spoke with less than 5 employers, while more than half of the attendees spoke with more than 5 employers.

Employers attending the job fair included Ashley Furniture, Avgol, Blakley Landscaping, Brakebush Brothers, CPP Global, DCCC Human Resources, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres, First Choice Personnel, Gildan, Home Instead Senior Care, Ingersoll Rand, Morrisofa, NCWorks, O’Callahans Publick House, PalletOne, Patterson Company, REEB, The Resource, Sabeti Wain Aerospace, Sheetz, Smith Excavating, Summershine Resort Staffing, Woodman Life, and Workforce Unlimited.

The Piedmont Triad Regional Council was also on hand with the PTRC Mobile Career Center to assist prospective employees with resume preparation and career advising.

Given the success of this first DCCC/Davie CONNECT job fair, we can expect additional job fairs to be scheduled moving forward.

About Davie CONNECT
An initiative of the Davie County Economic Commission, Davie CONNECT is designed to connect businesses to resources and kids to careers and to provide innovative workforce solutions for Davie County. For more information, contact Carolyn McManamy at 336.753.6670 or cmcmanamy@daviecounty.com.

About Davidson County Community College
Founded in 1963, Davidson County Community College is a fully accredited, multi-campus college where students of all ages and backgrounds pursue academic and career-focused education in order to build successful futures. As one of 58 institutions within the North Carolina Community College System, DCCC offers more than 40 degree and professional certificate programs to students in Davidson and Davie counties, as well as affordable college-credit coursework to students who plan to transfer to 4-year universities. With a mission to serve the changing needs of students competing in a global environment, DCCC is committed to quality education, innovative and equitable learning experiences, training, and support across a wide range of 21st-century career fields.

Schools, businesses working together can only help

Jan 4, 2019 By Mark Schambach

I was a long-haired 11th grader in Carolyn Beaver’s journalism class at Davie High School when I decided that would be my career path. Journalism. Newspaper work.

I never got rich, but I don’t regret that decision.

And the 11th grade is not too early to begin thinking about a career choice. Heck, eighth grade isn’t too early, either, just don’t set anything into stone at that young of an age.

As editor of the student newspaper at Chowan College, I learned quickly that when you’re the editor of a newspaper at a Baptist college, it’s probably best not to criticize the North Carolina Baptist State Convention. But I did. My professor loved the editorial, but the college administration did not. Chowan had just started a newswriting and advertising two-year degree program, geared towards those of us who wanted to work at a community newspaper.

The only professor on the news side was a retired editor of a major daily newspaper in the Tidewater, Virginia area. He didn’t last long at Chowan, either.

Then it was on to East Tennessee State University to study mass communications (journalism). I had a work study job on the student newspaper there, and yes, I thoroughly enraged the university president with an article. It was his fault for refusing to answer simple questions, but he didn’t see it that way.

To get a degree in journalism at East Tennessee, students had to complete a semester as an intern – at a newspaper, magazine, television station or other news outlet. It wasn’t a suggestion, it was a requirement. Get your own job or they would find one for you.

I worked for the Johnson City Press Chronicle for a few months, and received invaluable, real-world training there. I even wrote a couple of top stories for the Sunday edition.

That was the best requirement ever. I’ve seen too many students graduate from the University of North Carolina School of Journalism with no idea of what it is like in the real world. They could write, but were lost at a county commissioner’s meeting. They could write, but a deadline put them in a panic. They could write, but cringed when an editor made changes, whether for clarity or length.

I was lucky to know my career path early, and Davie County is on the right track in training our students for the workforce.

Terry Bralley and the Davie Economic Development Commission continue to amaze. Pretty much full on the employment scale, the director of economic development didn’t stop in his efforts to recruit new industry, or help local industries expand.

But he added staff to help keep more young people here.

Carolyn McManamy – DavieCONNECT Director

Carolyn McManamy, former president of the Davie County Chamber of Commerce, is heading the project, and I’m sure she will do well. The idea is to get our students and teachers familiar with local industries, learning their needs, learning the skills they expect from employees. The hope is that teachers will teach more of these skills, and students will find something they’re interested in and stay in Davie after graduating from high school or college. It’s a great idea.

Sending their kids to college is every parent’s dream, but when the student graduates with no real-world job skills, that dream can turn into a nightmare – a financially crippling nightmare. It is not entirely the fault of the student and parents, many of whom believe that a college degree in itself is a path to career success. It is not. Blame some of the colleges that offer degrees that give the student little or no hope of finding a job.

Yes, I believe in a well rounded education. College students should be exposed to all types of information, but there should be more of a focus on job skills.

Students, find a career choice that suits your desires, and learn the skills it takes to be successful in that career. Even if you change your mind later, those skills will be with you forever.

– Mike Barnhardt

By Mike Barnhardt
Editor, Davie County Enterprise Record

This editorial was originally published in the
Davie County Enterprise Record and is reprinted here with permission

Students Explore Career Options as Davie County Celebrates Manufacturing Day 2017

Nov 8, 2017 By Mark Schambach

To celebrate Manufacturing Day 2017, several local businesses and Davie County manufacturers provided a unique opportunity for all eighth-grade students in Davie County.

Davie County participated in National Manufacturing Day for the first time this year through the collaborative efforts of the Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Schools, Davie County Economic Development, DCCC and the Davie business community.

On October 6th, students from Ellis and North Davie Middle Schools each toured two different locations including DEX Heavy Duty Parts, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres, Ingersoll Rand, Pro Refrigeration, DCCC – Davie Campus, WFBH-Davie Medical Center – Bermuda Run and the Davie Construction – Dragonfly House construction site.

South Davie students toured Ashley Furniture and met the company’s Founder and Chairman of the Board, Ron Wanek, on October 12th. Many of these students had attended Mocksville Elementary and written to Wanek asking him to locate his new manufacturing and distribution facility in Davie County. They got to experience the fruits of their labor first-hand.

Approximately 500 students and staff were exposed to the many outstanding career opportunities that exist here in the county. Business leaders provided informative tours including examples of how their employees use math, science, technology, and communication skills. Students were intrigued with the emphasis on safety, size of the facilities, variety of jobs including the educational requirements for the job, and the machinery used in the day-to-day operation of the businesses. DCCC showcased its many educational programs through informational stations as well as tours of its mobile labs, a fire truck, and a tractor trailer used for the truck driving program.

Hosted annually, Manufacturing Day is a national event executed at the local level and typically focuses on manufacturing careers. “We expanded the types of businesses students visited to better align the many opportunities available here in Davie. With a newly opened state-of-the-art medical facility in Bermuda Run, expansive career path offerings at DCCC and the opportunity for a comprehensive tour of an active construction site, our event was truly a “career exploration day” for our students,” said Carolyn McManamy, President of the Davie County Chamber of Commerce.

“Middle school students are the next generation workforce and these tours are designed to expose them to career opportunities, show how their current and future curriculum ties to real- world careers and ignite interest in their future,” McManamy said. “During the tours, businesses showcased the scope of jobs available at their facilities and discussed the requisite higher education or skills training needed. For example, students who toured Davie Construction’s building site for the Dragonfly House learned about the many different functions needed to complete a project – from architecture and engineering to site supervision and actual building of the structure.”

“We have received such great feedback from our businesses as well as the students and teachers,” she said. “This is the first in a series of programs that will directly connect our students to our businesses. The next steps will involve developing a formal program where students of various ages are exposed to a broad variety of career paths and educational opportunities,” McManamy said. “Aligning business needs with curriculum will ensure Davie County has a ready and able workforce to meet the challenges of businesses today and in the future.”

Davie’s the Place for a Job!

Apr 10, 2017 By Mark Schambach

Need a job?

Come to Davie County.

Ashley Furniture is hiring. Gildan is hiring. Avgol is hiring.

And with the county’s unemployment rate at 4.3%, local companies are reversing past trends and hiring workers from beyond Davie County.

That’s right. Davie County – long a bedroom community for jobs outside of the county – is becoming the place to come to get a job.

Terry Bralley, president of the Davie County Economic Development Commission, says that despite the lack of available workers, interest remains strong among businesses hoping to expand or locate here.

He’s working on recruiting jobs with higher than average pay for this area, and companies are beginning to realize that to get the best workers, higher wages may be necessary.

“Hopefully, they’ll put benefits together, a better package and reach out to a larger area,” Bralley said. “We’re recruiting people from other locations. Most people who want to work and who can work can find a job,” he said.

Bralley said Davie County is still in a good position to recruit business.

And as Wake Forest Baptist Davie Medical Center opens the in-bed facility later this year, he expects that area on NC 801 just off I-40 to be a hotbed of retail and commercial growth.

Economic development is working on a strategic plan to recruit higher-paying jobs, he said.

“It’s a different world and it’s changing rapidly,” he said. “We’re in a good position – a good location next door to an urban area.”

Davie is a prime location for transportation-related companies, with easy access to major highways, airports and ports. Manufacturing and distribution companies continue to show the most interest in Davie.

What do companies want when looking for a new location? A building, ready to move in, that meets all of their needs. When do they want it? Now.

“Nothing ever appears to happen quickly, but having a building is key,” Bralley said. “We’re doing better than most.”

Thanks to Hollingsworth Companies, which operates SouthPoint Business Park off US 601 North in Mocksville, Davie County is in a better position than most. Hollingsworth maintains ready to move into buildings, and a recent effort between economic development, Mocksville, Davie County and the state, 85 more acres will become available in that business park.

Companies looking for a new location look all over, Bralley said. Davie, when in contention, usually competes with other North Carolina counties as well as areas in several other states.

Last year didn’t see a lot of new starts, but Davie companies are doing well and expanding, Bralley said.

REEB Millwork on Bethel Church Road in Mocksville added 10 jobs, and renovated the building. The company custom-manufactures and distributes millwork products such as entry doors, interior doors, columns and accessory stairs across the eastern United States. It employs 110 people here.

Sabeti Wain Aerospace continues to grow at its space on US 64 West at Valley Road in Mocksville. Sabeti Wain makes airline seat covers for Southwest Airlines and others at the local site.

Triple J Manor House opened last year in Mocksville, giving local folks a place to have large gatherings, including weddings and receptions. Originally built in the early 1800s for Benjamin F. Holton, the farmhouse was transformed by the Junker family into a 6,000-square-foot venue.

Comfort Bilt Windows and Doors also had a good year, hiring more workers at its plant in SouthPoint. “I don’t know that the community knows that we are here, what we do, or how much opportunity we have to offer,” said Michael Barron, plant manager. “We are proud of the fact that we’ve never had a layoff, even during the recession.” It was the first business in SouthPoint, opening in 1999.

Gesipa Fasteners, also in SouthPoint, created 16 new jobs last year. The company traditionally makes rivets and riveting systems, but has expanded to offer custom products for its customers. “The new equipment we are buying will allow us to do research and development as well as custom production right on site,” said Mark Grigg, plant manager. “We are equipped to make whatever fastener a company might need.”

Shelba D. Johnson Trucking opened a location in an old industrial site off Milling Road last year. The company is a major player in the furniture transportation industry. The company hired eight warehouse workers for the 168,820-square-foot building, and hopes to double the number of employees in coming months.

Economic development, the county, chamber of commerce and towns here collaborated for a retail study by Retail Coach last year – a study that will help recruit retail businesses that could be successful, Bralley said.

“Our goal is to recruit more retail, restaurants and entertainment to Davie County to offer our residents more opportunities to buy clothing, electronics or whatever they need locally; to retain the businesses and restaurants already here; and to keep our current shopping centers and districts vibrant while developing new centers,” Bralley said.

By Mike Barnhardt, Davie County Enterprise Record. Reprinted with Permission

Economic Development is a Team Sport – Strengthening the Davie County Workforce

Feb 8, 2017 By Mark Schambach

Dozens of Human Resources Managers from companies across Davie County met during the last week of January at the Triple J Manor House in Mocksville to discuss the state of the County in terms of workforce development.

Sustained growth in the number of manufacturing and industrial jobs being created in Davie County over the last 5 years is putting pressure on HR managers to attract and retain the talented workforce that is necessary to compete successfully in a growing economy.

As with most challenges in Davie County, local leaders are stepping up to the plate to develop plans of action to address this pressure before it becomes a limiting factor for continued economic development. The Davie County Economic Development Commission, the Davie Chamber of Commerce, Davidson County Community College and the Davie County School System worked together to host a “Lunch and Learn” meeting on Wednesday, January 25 with manufacturing and industry HR managers from across the county.

Apprenticeship Programs in North Carolina
Dr. Pamela Howze, from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and NC Works delivered the feature presentation, “Apprenticeship Programs in North Carolina.”

Many are familiar with “OJT” or On the Job Training and an apprenticeship program works in much the same way. The expert shows the apprentice how to do a task, watches as the apprentice practices portions of the task, and then turns over more and more responsibility until the apprentice is proficient enough to accomplish the task independently. According to Dr. Howze, there are 400K apprentices across the USA in more than 1,000 occupations with 150,000 employers.

Apprentices start at a low wage scale and as they make progress their wage is increased. Many are very productive in their second year of Apprenticeship. A 2009 Return on Investment Study says that for every dollar spent on Apprenticeship training, an employer receives a benefit, on average of $1.47

The State of North Carolina is currently supporting apprenticeship initiatives by offering free community college tuition to any North Carolina workers that enter an apprenticeship program. The North Carolina Department of Commerce has also submitted a $1.3 million grant proposal to grow apprenticeship programs across the state.

After the presentation by Dr. Howze, HR managers engaged in a substantive period of brainstorming and lively discussion with Dr. Howze and with representatives from Davie County Schools, Davidson County Community College and local temporary agencies who were also on hand in support of the HR managers and Davie County Industry. Discussion was wide ranging, exploring a number of options and arrangements were made by several companies to continue the discussion with local leaders after the meeting.

In Davie County, Economic Development is a Team Sport
As Terry Bralley noted, “Economic Development is a team sport. As we move forward as a community, we must create a local awareness that we are in competition with the world.”

Retail Recruiting Project Update

Jun 22, 2016 By Mark Schambach

As we reported back in April, the Davie County Economic Development Commission is directing some of its attention to growing the retail base in Davie County.

“Our goal is to recruit more retail, restaurants, and entertainment to Davie County to offer our residents more opportunities to buy clothing, electronics, or whatever they need locally; to retain the businesses and restaurants already here; and to keep our current shopping centers and districts vibrant while developing new centers,” said Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission.

“We realized as a small community, but with a terrific location connected to a major interstate, we needed the help of an outside professional to assist us with attracting those larger retailers that will help minimize sales leakage, fill vacant storefronts and lots, and expand our retail options,” he added. “We hired the Retail Coach to help us develop and implement a retail sales plan for the entire county. The EDC has invited the towns of Bermuda Run, Cooleemee, and Mocksville, and the Chamber of Commerce to actively engage in the process. We believe this retail plan is another way to add value to the county and will help us grow our future.”

Progress Update and Project Dashboards

We are pleased to report that the retail recruiting project has achieved some milestones. The Retail Coach has helped identify the true market size, the dollar amount of retail sales, and the amount of retail sales that are lost (retail leakage) for Davie County as well as each town in the County (Bermuda Run, Cooleemee and Mocksville).

Links to the retail dashboards for Davie County and the communities of Bermuda Run, Cooleemee and Mocksville are below. Each dashboard has a set of links to PDF documents which provide detailed demographic profiles, retail market profiles, and workplace population profiles.

Davie County Retail Dashboard
Bermuda Run Retail Dashboard
Cooleemee Retail Dashboard
Mocksville Retail Dashboard

The Retail Coach and your Economic Development Commission are in the process of preparing a preliminary list of potential retailers for recruiting efforts.

Welcome AccuMED – Company Investing $3.5 Million and Bringing 50 Jobs to Davie County!

Nov 15, 2015 By Mark Schambach

In another win for Davie County, AccuMED is moving its corporate headquarters from Buffalo, New York to Mocksville. The company will invest approximately $3.5 million and create 40-50 jobs here!

Another Vacant Building Back in Business – Hiring to Begin in Spring
The company is moving into the former Ventlab building, a 78,300 square foot building located at 155 Boyce Drive in Mocksville. AccuMED corporate headquarters in Mocksville is expected to include jobs in senior management, engineering, supply chain, production planning, information technology, human relations, quality assurance, logistics and warehousing, project management, finance, and general production and support positions.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority has approved a building reuse grant of $500,000 for building improvements to the 78,300 square foot building which has been vacant for approximately a year and a half. Construction is expected to begin this month (November, 2015) with hiring to begin in the spring of 2016.

About AccuMED
AccuMED Corporation is a world-class engineering services and contract manufacturing partner for major medical product companies with a specialty in textile-based class I/II medical products that touch the body. Using their knowledge of materials and how they interface with the human body, their world class engineering team works with their design teams to create and transform ideas into a product which meets the form, fit and function of unique application requirements. Additionally, they provide turn-key design and manufacturing. Their integrated engineering, manufacturing and logistics capabilities enable them to provide one-stop, fast turnaround design and manufacturing.

Current products include CPAP Headgear, DVT Wraps, Patient Slings, Lateral Transfer Mattresses and Orthopedic Devices.

Another Win – Pro Refrigeration Expands to Larger Facility & Celebrates 25 Year Anniversary

Oct 29, 2015 By Mark Schambach

Just two years after opening its East Coast manufacturing plant in Davie County, Pro Refrigeration is expanding! They have outgrown the 40,000 square feet of space in the former Crown Wood building on John Crotts Road and have expanded into over 60,000 square feet of space in the former Renegade Tobacco warehouse on Beechtree Place, just off of Farmington Road near Interstate 40. The layout of the new location doubles the amount of space dedicated to the manufacturing process.

Skilled Workforce, Business Friendly Environment & Amazing Support
Pro Refrigeration was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Auburn Washington. In 2013, after a year-long search for a site that would fit their east coast expansion plans, the family owned manufacturer decided that Davie County best reflected their vision for the future and they opened a manufacturing plant at the former Crown Wood plant on John Crotts Road. According to CEO Jim Vandergiessen, Jr., CEO of Pro Refrigeration, “We chose Davie County for our east coast manufacturing plant because of the skilled workforce, the business friendly environment, and the amazing support we’ve received from everyone we’ve met.”

Broad Community Support for Local Entrepreneurs
An entrepreneurial mindset and a love for Davie County helped make the Pro Refrigeration expansion possible. When Pro Refrigeration recognized the need to expand its Davie County manufacturing foot-print, local leaders and entrepreneurs went to work to help keep the company here in Davie County.

According to Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission, “Our community of business leaders and entrepreneurs has gained a lot of experience over the last several years and they know how to win in the economic development arena. Broad based community support for these wins has encouraged an entrepreneurial mindset among local business owners and entrepreneurs across Davie County.

“After a series of economic development wins since over the last several years, Davie County is running low on our inventory of existing buildings. While the former Renegade Tobacco warehouse had just about the right amount of space for the Pro Refrigeration expansion, there were some key pieces missing, including office space and parking. The building is owned by several local entrepreneurs who were able to work to up-fit the space to meet Pro Refrigeration’s office and parking requirements. Local entrepreneurs engaged and invested in economic development translates into broad community support for local entrepreneurs.”

Open House at New Davie County Manufacturing Plant Celebrates 25 Years in Business
On Saturday, October 24, 2015, Pro Refrigeration held an open house in the new Davie County plant to celebrate 25 years in business and to showcase their new facility to the community. Pro Refrigeration designs, manufactures, and distributes state-of-the-art refrigeration systems for the dairy, winery, food processing, medical, and brewing industries.

Pro Refrigeration customers, employees and Davie County residents, as well as state and local government leaders attended the open house.

Download the press release for this article.

Carolina Precision Machining, Inc. – Davie County Firm Growing and Creating Aviation Jobs

Jun 14, 2015 By Mark Schambach

Aviation has been creating jobs and opportunities in North Carolina since the days of Wilbur and Orville Wright and the aerospace industry is still a very important job growth cluster for North Carolina.

Carolina Precision Machining, Inc. (CPM), a home-grown Davie County aerospace manufacturer has relocated its manufacturing operation to the former Trim Building located in Mocksville at 351 Bethel Church Road. Founded in Davie County by Steve Vick in 1993, CPM manufactures precision machine parts for aerospace, aviation and heavy equipment manufacturers. The company currently employs 30 people and this move will help the company create 10-25 new jobs over the next 12 to 18 months.

Entrepreneurial Talent – The Secret to Long Term Economic Vitality
According to Terry Bralley, Davie County Economic Development Commission President, “While big economic development deals like Ashley Furniture, Avgol, Baptist Health, Gildan, and Avgol get lots of attention and news coverage, it is the small business entrepreneur that creates most of the jobs in this country. Entrepreneurs in Davie County like Steve Vick know how to get things done. They are taking the initiative, assuming the risk, and putting our people to work.

“Davie County seems to have the right combination of factors that make this fertile ground for the entrepreneurial mind-set. We are growing but we are still small enough that a small business owner in Davie County can feel like a big fish in a small pond. Many of these successful leaders are up and coming young folks with vision, high energy, passion and talent. We’re blessed to have folks like Steve in our community. The Davie County EDC is looking at ways to foster and grow this entrepreneurial talent base.

Improved workflows and room for expansion pave the way for job growth
The new location provides room for expansion and reduces operating costs by enabling dramatic work-flow efficiency improvements. According to Steve Vick, “This new location gave us a clean slate and the opportunity to think outside the box and re-configure workflows from scratch; improving efficiency, reducing costs and making us a more valuable partner for our customers. The additional floor space and plant layout has allowed us to improve every aspect of our operation. “

One of the biggest advantages of the new location is additional space for new equipment. CPM is in the process of installing and configuring their newest laser in the new location. The cost of cutting hard-to-machine materials by conventional mechanical machining processes is high due to the low material removal rate and short tool life. Some materials are not possible to be cut by the conventional machining process at all. Laser beam machining uses a laser beam to remove materials without mechanical engagement with the work-piece material.

Public & Private Sector Partnerships – Economic Development is a Team Sport
The North Carolina Community Colleges system, DCCC Community College and the Northwest Piedmont Workforce Development Board worked together in support of private sector job growth at CPM.

With the support of an Incumbent Workers Grant from The Northwest Piedmont Workforce Development Board and a Workforce Development Grant from Davidson County Community College and the North Carolina Community College System, CPM earned the coveted aerospace manufacturing certifications AS9100C and ISO 9001:2008 in 2013 paving the way for continued job growth in the aviation sector.

According to Steve, “The AS9100C certification enables CPM to compete on a level playing field with firms that are many times our size in the aerospace industry. It is unique for a firm our size to achieve this prestigious certification and it demonstrates our commitment to “Total Customer Satisfaction”.

Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission said, “Congratulations to Steve Vick and to the entire team at Carolina Precision Machining. It is impressive when a firm is able to compete at this level and we look forward to the continued success of Steve Vick and the entire team at Carolina Precision Machining.

About Carolina Precision Machining
Carolina Precision Machining is a privately owned and operated company established in 1993. CPM provides precision machine part manufacturing services for aerospace, aviation and heavy equipment manufacturers with quality that is certified to comply with AS 9100C and ISO 9001:2008 requirements.

Skilled machinists at CPM do high-precision, close tolerance tooling work and high volume turning and milling. They also perform first article inspection components and prototypes prior to production.

Carolina Precision Machining can be reached by telephone at 336 751-7788 and on the web at www.cpmmachining.com.

Additional Reporting on CPM Expansion
Triad Business Journal – Mocksville machining firm to add up to 25 jobs
Winston Salem Journal – Precision expanding, adding to 10-25 jobs

Download Press Release
Download a copy of the press release: Carolina Precision Machining – Davie County Firm Growing and Creating Aviation Jobs!

Davie County Welcomes DEX Heavy Duty Parts and 38 New Jobs!

May 29, 2015 By Mark Schambach

The Volvo Group invested $2.6 million into the renovation of the 210,000 square-foot Dex building located at 2016 Cornatzer Road in Advance, North Carolina and created 38 new jobs in Davie County. The building is located on 38 acres near Interstate 40.

Automotive Industry Discovers Davie County
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory travelled to Davie County today to welcome DEX to North Carolina. Governor McCrory was joined by executives of the Volvo Group, Dex Heavy Duty Parts LLC and local and state officials to celebrate the grand opening of the Dex facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour.

Dex, a Volvo Group subsidiary and leading supplier of recycled, renovated and surplus medium- and heavy-duty truck parts, offers new life to trucks by offering recycled and renovated parts to second- and third-generation truck owners.

Why DEX Chose Davie County
In 2009 the Mack Truck HQ was moved from Allentown, PA to Greensboro, NC – creating some 500 new jobs.

The DEX operation relocated to Davie County from Floyd, Virginia in August of 2014. They moved to Davie County for close-in access to major Interstate Highways I-40, I-77 and I-85, access to an educated workforce, and the ability to “recycle” an existing textile manufacturing plant to a new life – which is what Dex does – “recycles” trucks and truck parts.

“The Volvo Group is pleased to open another facility in North Carolina,” said Dennis Slagle, president of Volvo Group Trucks Sales North America. “Dex Heavy Duty Parts takes old trucks and recycles them – refurbishing some parts for resale and recycling others for reuse – which is not only a natural extension of our business, but perfectly exemplifies our core value of care for the environment.”

“Since 2012, Dex has recycled more than three million pounds of material,” said Darin Redmon, director of operations for Dex Heavy Duty Parts. “We are the only OEM that has a complete lifecycle channel for its products.”

Governor McCrory Welcomes Volvo/DEX to North Carolina
“We welcome this investment by the Volvo Group and Dex Heavy Duty Parts in our state,” said North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. “It’s always great to see companies move to North Carolina and we appreciate Dex Heavy Duty Parts’ commitment to our state and environment. Employers know North Carolina is a great place to invest because of our friendly business climate, infrastructure and talented workforce.”

According to Terry Bralley, President of the Davie County Economic Development Commission, “DEX came to Davie County because we had the right building available, with rail service, at the right location. We have only a couple of existing buildings still available for companies looking at a Davie County location. We have plenty of sites available but most companies are looking for existing buildings. For additional information on doing business in Davie County, North Carolina, please visit www.daviecountyedc.com.

Download Press Release
Download a copy of the press release – Davie County Welcomes DEX Heavy Duty Parts and 38 New Jobs!