Graham County and Robbinsville approve incentives for Eco King Solutions to open production plant

Graham County and the Town of Robbinsville on July 22 unanimously approved an incentive package to attract Eco King Solutions to convert the former Stanley Furniture facility in Robbinsville into a North American manufacturing site.

Josh Carpenter, director of Mountain West Partnership, told the joint public hearing that Eco King Solutions is a new subsidiary of Zhejiang Kingsun Eco-Pak Co., Ltd., and plans to produce disposable biodegradable paper trays, plates, bowls and cutlery. Carpenter said the parent company operates high-capacity factories in China and that the Robbinsville project, called “Project Goldilocks,” would create about 300 jobs over three years and involve roughly $80.5 million in private investment to modernize the site.

Carpenter said the project anticipates that about 90% of production will be sold in the United States and that the employer’s target average salary is at or above $46,700. He said the company plans to partner with the North Carolina Community College System for training and workforce development and listed state and regional partners that have supported recruitment efforts, including the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and the North Carolina General Assembly.

Carpenter outlined proposed incentives that tie payments to job creation. He said Graham County’s local incentive would total $1,577,218 paid over five years and that the Town of Robbinsville’s local incentive would total $1,336,625 paid over five years. He said the State of North Carolina had committed a $9 million incentive package to be paid over 12 years. Carpenter also said paperwork and LLC information for Eco King Solutions would be made available to the public after the meeting.

After no members of the public came forward during the hearing, Graham County Chair Meggan Smith moved to approve the proposed Economic Development Incentive Grant to Eco King Solutions and to direct county staff to prepare an Economic Development Agreement documenting each party’s obligations. Commissioner Connie Orr seconded the motion; the county vote was recorded as unanimous.

On identical wording, the Town of Robbinsville’s governing body also voted unanimously to accept the incentive package and to direct town staff to participate in preparing the same agreement. The meeting record shows no named dissents or abstentions from either body.

Manager Brady Cody noted the incentive paperwork and the company’s LLC documentation would be available after the meeting. No deadlines for execution of the agreement or conditions beyond the payment schedule described by Carpenter were specified in the public presentation or on the meeting record.

The joint meeting began at 11 a.m. at the Graham County Community Building, 196 Knight Street, Robbinsville, and adjourned following the vote to authorize the agreement drafters.