BY KARISSA MILLER

On the heels of a large groundbreaking expansion event at Doosan Bobcat, two additional existing industries are considering expansions in Iredell County and received a little help from the Iredell County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night.

Commissioners first held a public hearing and then voted unanimously to grant Project Return a tax incentive of $85,844 and Project Keel a tax incentive of $89,6665. Both are in the form of reduced property taxes over five years.

The grant for Project Return is based on the company Yanjan USA’s investment of up to $5.2 million and the creation of 50 jobs.

According to Mathew Pierce, director for Iredell County economic development, Project Return involves an expansion of operations at 151 Walker Road in Statesville. The company is currently located at 159 Walker Road.

Yanjan, which started in 2017 in Statesville, is a manufacturer of nonwoven fabrics and global consumer products. The project would add machinery, equipment and two production lines.

The grant for Project Keel is based on ZND U.S.’s investment of up to $5.1 million and the creation of new jobs.

It’s the first U.S. manufacturing facility of ZND, an international company headquartered in Netherlands. ZND is a manufacturer of temporary fencing and opened its Statesville location in March 2020.

“Their significant success has had them consider additional production lines at their James Farm Road facility. It’s in competition with their west location facility,” Pierce said.

The City of Statesville already approved an economic development incentive for this company, Pierce said.

Both offers are good for 180 days.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business, Statesville Regional Airport Manager John Ferguson updated the board on the airport and also requested that the county contribute 5 percent or $2,645 for a local match for a $47,610 grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation.

“We’re going to be one of the few airports in North Carolina that will be all LED,” Ferguson said.

He said the grant will allow the airport to purchase an emergency generator for airport runway lighting.

Commissioners unanimously approved the request.

Also, during the meeting, commissioners:
• Approved a request by Sandra Johnson and Gary Bowles to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Mooresville.
• Approved a request from Planning and Development to consider calling for a public hearing on August 17, 2021, at 7 p.m. in regard to a request by Howard Bryan to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Troutman.
• Approved a request from the Iredell County library for approval to apply for emergency connectivity funding in the amount of $2,970.
• Approved a request from tax administration for to present the Annual Tax Settlement and approval of Orders for Collection.