Contact: Lee Anne Nance
Harnett County EDC
(910) 893-7524
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 10, 2004
Industrial chemical manufacturer selects Harnett County for expansion
DUNN, NC - Convenient access to customers and a welcome atmosphere was all the convincing Mathew Brainerd needed to decide Harnett County was the place to expand his chemical company.
Tulsa, Okla.-based Brainerd Chemical Co. has purchased an 83,000-square-foot plant in Dunn from Archer Daniels Midland Corp. that ADM hasn't used in several years and plans to begin operations there by the end of the year. The operation will create seven jobs initially and up to 20 within three years.
The plant will produce specialty chemicals for the poultry and swine industries, including detergents to wash pigs, rid birds of salmonella and fumigate chicken houses and solutions to clean feeding lines. It also will repackage bulk chemicals like isopropyl alcohol and citric acid into smaller containers.
"We've been shipping to the East Coast for years and felt the time was right to set up our own facility here to cut some of our costs," Brainerd says. "Harnett County provided us what we were looking for in terms of location, and they also welcomed us with open arms. Being a chemical company, we have lots of regulatory and compliance issues, and local officials were very open to meeting with us and solving any problems we might encounter."
Brainerd Chemical expects to invest about $1 million in the plant, including some refurbishment of an existing Norfolk Southern rail spur, which was a key part of the deal since much of the company's raw materials are brought in by tanker rail cars.
"This is a great addition to Harnett County's industrial community," says Lee Anne Nance, director of the Harnett County Economic Development Commission. "They are putting a vacant building to use, creating jobs and adding about $2 million to our tax base. More than that, their presence may help attract other companies that need the combination of Brainerd chemicals and our local work force."
Founded in 1959 by Brainerd's father, Harold W. Brainerd, Jr., Brainerd Chemical blends more than 40,000 chemical compounds for industry and research laboratories, including solvents, acids and reagents. It serves more than 2,500 customers in 40 states.
The Harnett County Economic Development Commission (EDC) is a county agency whose mission is to achieve a more balanced economic condition by making extraordinary efforts to compete more effectively for commercial and industrial investments that will enhance the county's tax base and improve countywide job opportunities for all of the county's citizens.
Harnett County is a member of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, a public/private partnership that promotes economic development for the 13-county region of North Carolina comprising Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties.
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