Burlington WorldWide To Expand Raeford Plant

The company will invest some $7 million and create 65 jobs over the next three years, Gov. Mike Easley announced on Monday.

The plant, which is in Raeford, provides dyeing and finishing of fabrics for military dress uniforms.

Burlington WorldWide will receive various state and local incentives to underwrite the cost of the expansion. The state will present the company with a $100,000 One North Carolina Fund grant. Such grants require a local match.

Burlington WorldWide is a division of International Textile Group.

Average wages will be approximately $500 plus benefits. The average Hoke County wage is $414.

"We are delighted to expand our operations at the Raeford plant," said Michael Ambler, Burlington's executive vice president of manufacturing, in a statement. "This is a wonderful facility and we have extremely capable employees that will allow us to successfully grow our operation and establish an efficient and competitive domestic manufacturing platform. We appreciate the support of our local, county and state officials."

Also participating in the economic expansion process were the N.C. Department of Commerce, Hoke County and the City of Raeford.