Lumberton plant secures $250,000 state grant to fund 38 jobs

Oct. 21—RALEIGH — The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved a $250,000 grant that will support the reuse of a 90,000-square-foot building in Lumberton.

BIOPHIL Natural Fibers LLC, is a grower and processor of hemp stalk, which produces hurd and fiber as a sustainable alternative to woven and nonwoven textile materials.

Overall, the company is expected to create 41 new jobs and $10.9 million in private investment, while 38 jobs and an investment of $4,333,150 are tied to this grant.

BIOPHIL operates a processing facility in Pennsylvania and will add a 90,829-square-foot building to 4111 W. Fifth St. in Lumberton, the site of the former Due Process Stable Trading Company.

The move is to expand BIOPHIL's production operations with decortication — initial separation of hemp stalk into hurd and fiber — and parallel processing lines that will further clean, refine and cut hurd and fiber to its clients' specifications.

The grant is one of 17 announced by Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday totaling $5,710,255.

Together, Cooper stated that the requests include commitments to create a total of 1,382 jobs, 1,097 of which were previously announced.

The public investment in these projects involved more than $5 billion in private investment, some of which has been previously announced.

"Investments in rural North Carolina have a positive impact on our state's overall success," said Governor Cooper. "These grants help communities prepare to attract investments that create good jobs, improve the quality of life of the residents, and boost local economies."

The North Carolina Department of Commerce's team of rural economic development professionals supports the RIA's work of which RIA members review and approve funding requests from local communities.

Funding comes from a variety of specialized grant and loan programs offered and managed by N.C. Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division, led by Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Kenny Flowers.

Grants can support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, expansion and demolition, and site improvements.

"I'm especially proud to see this spur of new businesses and job creation in North Carolina's rural communities," said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. "These grants help local governments increase the availability of critical infrastructure like water and sewer, as well as revive buildings in their communities that allow them to take center stage in North Carolina's economic development wins."

In addition to reviewing and approving funding requests, the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority formulates policies and priorities for grant and loan programs administered by N.C. Commerce's Rural Economic Development team. Its 17 voting members are appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tem. The North Carolina Secretary of Commerce serves as a member of the Authority, ex officio.