Tobacco Manufacturer Selects Caswell County for New Production and Distribution Facility

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Cherokee Tobacco Company will create 39 new jobs and invest more than $14 million to build a new manufacturing and distribution operation in Caswell County.

“Agriculture roots run deep in North Carolina as it remains our greatest economic driver,” said Governor Cooper. “Not only do we have a skilled workforce, we also have a great business climate and one of the largest manufacturing economies in the nation to support the global operations of growing companies and Caswell County fits the bill.”

Cherokee Tobacco Company is a family-owned business that has manufactured and sold its own brand of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe products for more than two decades. Cherokee is a sister company of JEB International, a tobacco processing company that serves the industry throughout the global market. The new build-to-suit facility will provide a clean manufacturing space to add new, next-generation product lines. The company will consolidate their existing operations, along with JEB International, into one 65,000-square-foot location in Pelham.

“We are very excited to be coming to North Carolina and to be working closely with Caswell County and PCC,” said Jay Barker, the Owner & CEO of Cherokee Tobacco Company and JEB International. “We believe this new facility will improve efficiency for both groups and create the optimal environment to carry our companies and our brands into the future.”

“North Carolina leads the nation in tobacco production,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Our manufacturing and agribusiness industries continue to evolve and attract innovative companies that want to create new jobs and products through new technologies.”

“An economic development announcement is a great way to close out the year,” said N.C. Representative Renée A. Price. “We appreciate the people and partnerships that helped recruit yet another successful family-owned agribusiness to Caswell County and we look forward to all they will build here.”

Although salaries will vary by position, the average annual wage will be $65,154, which exceeds the Caswell County average of $43,046. These new jobs could potentially create an annual payroll impact of more than $2.5 million for the region.

A performance-based grant of $125,000 from the One North Carolina Fund awarded to Cherokee Tobacco Company, LLC will help the company locate to Caswell County. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Piedmont Community College, Caswell County, and Caswell County Economic Development.

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