NY-based manufacturer selects Selma Ffor 500-job facility

A leading building-products manufacturer has selected Selma for a $93 million production facility that will employ a 500-person workforce. Crystal Window & Door Systems Ltd, headquartered in Flushing, N.Y., plans to invest $93 million in a new manufacturing plant at Eastfield Crossing in Johnston County. The privately held company selected approximately 43 acres near the intersection of I-95 and U.S. Highway 70.

Earlier today, the Johnston County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a nearly $1.96 million Economic Development Investment Grant, a performance-based incentive payable over seven years. “We’re proud to welcome the newest member of Johnston County’s industrial community and are grateful for the jobs and investment dollars Crystal Window & Door intends to bring to the I-95 corridor,” says County Commission Chairman R.S. “Butch” Lawter, Jr. “This project further energizes our manufacturing sector and brings exciting opportunities to the residents of Selma and the Eastfield Crossing community.”

Founded in 1990, Crystal Window & Door Systems makes energy efficient vinyl and aluminum windows and doors for single- and multi-family residences, office buildings, hotels, hospitals and other buildings. The company operates plants in California, Illinois, New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania, and its products are sold in 40 states.

“Crystal Windows started in 1990 from my dream of building my own business,” says Thomas Chen, chairman and founder of Crystal Window & Door Systems. “With hard work and perseverance Crystal is now a national manufacturer that continues to grow. Our expansion to North Carolina is a terrific next phase of that growth.”

The 500 positions Crystal intends to create at its advanced manufacturing facility in Selma will include frame assemblers, machine operators, warehouse workers, quality engineers, management staff and others. New jobs come with annual salaries averaging $56,000. Construction of the new plant will add more than $127 million to Johnston County’s economic output, according to an analysis by Dr. Michael Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University and President of Walden Economic Consulting, LLC. Once operational, the facility will create an annual economic impact approaching $170 million, Dr. Walden found. Its fiscal impact will also be substantial, generating $1.11 million in annual revenues for county and municipal governments.

Members of the Selma Town Council also approved a package of performance-based incentives in support of Crystal Window & Door Systems’ new location, known as “Project Clear” while company officials worked with local and state leaders on the site search. Selma Mayor Byron McAllister believes the company’s choice of Selma is evidence that the community’s investment in infrastructure upgrades is yielding a strong return. “Crystal’s selection demonstrates that sound economic fundamentals are Selma’s secret sauce when it comes to job creation and prosperity,” Mayor McAllister says. “The Council welcomes this growing company and salutes the success that has led to this exciting expansion into our community.”

County business leaders say the project aligns with efforts to expand Johnston County’s manufacturing sector. “Industrial diversification is a hallmark of our county’s economic development strategy, and this project really fits into that vision,” explains Ed Aldridge, chairman of the 14-member Johnston County Economic Development Advisory Board. The appointed panel consists of business, civic and community leaders from the county’s 11 municipal governments. “We’re eager to welcome advanced manufacturers like Crystal Window & Door Systems as they take their place here alongside important employers in life sciences, consumer foods, logistics, I/T and other target sectors,” Aldridge says.

In addition to county and municipal governments, an array of state organizations collaborated to support the success of Project Clear, including the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Community College System, the N.C. Railroad Company, Duke Energy and the North Carolina General Assembly.

“Crystal Window & Door Systems’ commitment to bringing over 500 good-paying jobs to eastern Johnston County is a game-changer,” says Sen. Benton G. Sawrey, who represents Johnston County in the North Carolina Senate. “It’ll help revitalize the I-95 corridor and become an important partnership for Selma. This announcement is a testament to the work local and state leaders have done to transform North Carolina into the most business-friendly state.”

The state’s Economic Investment Committee (EIC) voted earlier in the day to approve a $4.2 million grant from the state. The JDIG award is payable annually over 12 years as Crystal ramps up and sustains its workforce and completes its capital investment. The project will add $1.1 billion to North Carolina’s annual GDP, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division (LEAD).

The Johnston County Economic Development Office (JCEDO) facilitates value-added interaction between government, education and the private sector in encouraging and promoting job creation and economic investment in Johnston County. A unit of county government, JCEDO collaborates with local, regional and statewide partners and allies in providing confidential location assistance to businesses and technical support to the county’s 11 municipalities. Its menu of services includes customized digital mapping, labor and wage analysis, site readiness assistance and incentive packaging. For additional information, visit www.GrowWithJoCo.com