$500k Building Reuse Grant Announced for Project Fern
Chaddock Furniture to Complete Expansions/Renovations – Over $1.1M Investment
For Immediate Release
Morganton, N.C. (December 8, 2023) – Governor Roy Cooper’s Office and the North Carolina Department of Commerce have announced the award of a Building Reuse grant to support the renovation of Ferguson Copeland LLC (dba Chaddock). The company, located at 100 Reep Dr. in Morganton will use the expansion to recapture jobs lost to foreign shores in the early 2000’s. This grant will allow Chaddock the opportunity to recover jobs lost and return them to Western North Carolina. The current location of the company is a revitalized Hanes Textile Plant built in 1964 with approximately 287k square feet.
Chaddock was founded in 1958 and has been known for decades for the expertise of its hand applied finishes and the comfort of its hand tailored seating. Their made-to-order furniture is custom crafted in just weeks and is finished exclusively in NC facilities.
Project Fern will be creating 25 new jobs in Morganton for specialized skilled employees. The new jobs will include machinists, utility workers, upholsterers, cutters and trimmers. The average wage of the jobs will be $44, 228 which is more than the current average county rate of $43,261.
The City of Morganton was the applicant for the grant and they along with Burke County will supply a 5% local match for the project. The project is expected to create approximately $1.1M in new capital investment. “Not only are the new jobs important but solidifying existing jobs was key to this project,” said Mayor of Morganton, Ronnie Thompson. “We are grateful for the hard work of all the partners in this project, striving to keep our community competitive.
The Building Reuse program provides grants to local government units to support economic development activity that leads to the creation of new, full-time jobs and gives priority to projects located in the 80 most distressed counties in the state.
In addition to the Building Reuse Granted funded by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions is pleased to announce development of a recruitment and training plans that will be developed jointly by the Chaddock, Commerce DWS, local area workforce partners and the NC Works Career Centers. The Division of Workforce solutions offers a Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit with an estimated potential value of $19,200 as well as Federal Bonding with an estimated potential value of $30,000.
Additionally, the NC Community College System will be offering pre-employment training as well as extensive post-employment training. “We are prepared to discuss technical training and soft skill training with Chaddock” stated John C. Loyack in a letter to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. The value of the Customized Training Program support is estimated to be between $1,600 and $1,800 per eligible trainee.
“These are great projects and we’re excited to announce them,” said Scott Mulwee, Chairman of the Burke County Commissioners. “Not only are the new jobs important but solidifying the existing jobs was key to the project. We hope this means Chaddock Furniture will be in Burke County for a long time to come.”
Burke Development, Inc. would like to thank all partners for their efforts on this project including, N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. Other key partners in the project include the North Carolina Department of Commerce Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Western Piedmont Community College, Burke County, the City of Morganton, and Western Piedmont Council of Governments.
For the full announcement from the Governor’s office click (here)
About Burke Development, Inc.
Burke Development, Inc. (BDI) is a nonprofit organization supported by private and public funding that is charged with accelerating economic growth in Burke County. BDI works with industry leaders, site selection consultants, government agencies and other entities to facilitate expansion strategies for existing businesses and recruit target industries to Burke County. For more information about BDI visit www.BurkeDevInc.com.
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Alan Wood
President/CEO
(828)764-9372