Uniboard Canada Expands in Moncure

The international manufacturer of pressed wood products, is building a plant in Chatham County, North Carolina, which will create and preserve up to 250 Jobs.

August 3, 2008

CHATHAM COUNTY NC NEWS -- Uniboard Canada Incorporated, an international manufacturer of pressed wood products, is building a plant in Chatham County, North Carolina. The company plans to invest $142 million to recondition an existing factory and build a new facility, which will create 104 new jobs during the next three years. Additionally, Uniboard will preserve 146 existing jobs in Moncure, North Carolina while constructing a new $120 million fiberboard factory on the existing 400-acre site. Salaries for the 104 new positions will vary by job type, but the average annual wage will be $45,303 not including benefits, substantially more than the Chatham County average annual wage of $29,588.

Uniboard Canada, headquartered in Laval, Canada, and a subsidiary of Pfleiderer AG in Germany, manufactures decorative laminates, panels and related products. The company will purchase and refit an existing particleboard plant in Moncure, North Carolina.

James Hogg, president and CEO of Uniboard said, "This is a significant step in Uniboard's strategic plan to strengthen our leadership in engineered wood panels in eastern North America and become the supplier of choice with our customers. The acquisition of the Moncure facility is a reflection of Uniboard's long-term commitment to our customers, especially on the East Coast, and solidifies our offering in laminate flooring through our sister company Pergo, located in Raleigh."

The project has also received a $250,000 One North Carolina Fund grant. North Carolina Governor Mike Easley said, "North Carolina is a long-time leader in the wood-products industry, Every job like this that we can reclaim in the weak national economy is critical and we are pursuing them aggressively."

North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney (Dem) of Chatham, Orange, Moore counties stated, "We're pleased to see Uniboard make this investment in Chatham County. Our superb quality of life and the strength of our workforce make this an excellent and obvious choice for them. I'm pleased that the state and county worked together to be sure that Uniboard's needs will be addressed as they get underway."

Other parties that contributed to the economic development project include:

• NC Department of Commerce
• Chatham County Local Government
• The Chatham County Economic Development Commission
• Progress Energy
• NC Community College System

For more information about Uniboard Canada Incorporated, including job opportunities in Chatham County, North Carolina, visit the company's web site at www.uniboard.com, or call (800) 263-5240 - FAX # (450) 682-0550.

Published by:
Rob Cross
mailto:editor@357news.com

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