Uniquetex to build production facility in Cleveland County

Fabric maker Uniquetex plans to spend $31.6 million to build a production facility in Cleveland County, a move that will bring 150 jobs to the area. The facility in Grover will be the first in the U.S. for Uniquetex, which is a joint venture of two Chinese manufacturers.

According to a memo from Gov. Pat McCrory Thursday, Uniquetex will hire 150 people over the next five years, positions will include machine operators, technicians, customer service representatives and others for which Uniquetex would be getting a performance-based incentive of $800,000 from the One North Carolina Fund for the project.

To qualify for grant funds, companies must meet certain job-creation and investment performance standards. They receive no money up front.

Uniquetex manufactures non-woven fabrics for medical and healthcare providers and other users. The manufacturer’s move to North Carolina is part of a larger trend.

The Carolinas were once a hotbed of the American textile industry but starting in the late 1990s mills closed and thousands of jobs went overseas where labor and materials were cheaper. Chinese manufacturers are setting their eyes on the U.S attracted by lower costs of energy, cotton and land, and wary of rising labor costs in China.