Steel fabricator Steffes, based in North Dakota, says it will invest $20.9 million in a new facility in Shelby, in Cleveland County
The building they will occupy had been “pre-constructed” and is ready for occupancy, officials say.
“We are excited to welcome Steffes to North Carolina,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in an Aug. 3 statement. “We know that when companies are ready to expand, they choose our state because of our ready workforce, exceptional quality of life, and robust infrastructure.”
Kristin Reese, Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership’s executive director, said city and county leaders felt pre-constructing “shell buildings” would quickly pay off.
“They knew this was the quickest path to be able to attract a manufacturer to our community,” Reese said. “Listening to (Steffes) say that it took nearly a year off (their planning process and construction process, I mean, that’s huge,” she was quoted as saying by WCNC-TV.
Steffes has been in business for more than four decades, specializing in steel fabrication and electrical service for industries.
“This expansion is the realization of the company’s strategic vision,” said Todd Mayer, co-president of Steffes. “The combination of customers and friends in this area combined with the workforce potential and community support made Shelby the best fit for us.”