Aseptia Inc., a fruit and vegetable processor based in Raleigh, will add 505 new jobs to its manufacturing facility in Montgomery County, according to state officials.
Aseptia, a private company that operates as Wright Foods, latest expansion plan will cost about $5.3 million and take five years to complete. Michael Drozd, president and CEO of Wright Food, said the expansion will add 120,000 square feet to the faculty, which will double the companies production capacity.
"We'll be expanding our products lines, as well as out customer base," Drozd said.
Aseptia received a $1.5 million grant from One North Carolina, which is considered the biggest grant issued this year.
"Consumers continue to demand more nutritious and better tasting foods and at the same time, they want foods that are convenient and affordable," Drozd said. "This expansion will allow us to grow to meet the need of the consumers."
In 2011, the company received a $150,000 One North Carolina grant that was contingent on Aseptia investing $10 million in to their facility and creating 75 jobs. Aseptia surpassed those goals and raised about $20 million from investors, according to newsobserver.com
The company will also be helping with the United States unemployment issue. Montgomery County is known to have a high unemployment rate. The unemployment rate was 10 percent in May
"We desperately need people working, and the expansion will make a huge difference," said Ashley Cage Director of the Economic Development Crop in Montgomery County.
Salaries will vary by position, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $29,687, plus benefits. The Montgomery County average is $30,629.
Aseptia has developed a partnership with several Montgomery County community colleges, which helped screen and train employees. They began hiring in 2012.
Cagle said she expects Aseptia's expansion to generate a lot of interest from unemployed people across the county.
"Any time that we have a new business come in, there is some sort of frenzy from people who need jobs," Cagle said. "When Wright first announced that they were hiring, they has a job fair at the community college and they were expecting about 100 people. More than 500 people showed up. You could see there was a definitely a need."
Found in 2006, Aseptia opened its Troy plant in August. It has since expanded the plant from 37,000 to 60,000 square feet and hired more than 80 people.