State chips in for Bridgestone-Bandag renovation

Nov. 3—OXFORD — State officials will channel a $450,000 "building reuse" grant to one of Oxford's leading manufacturers to subsidize the renovation of its facility on the west side of the city.

The N.C. Department of Commerce grant to Bridgestone Bandag came after the company pledged to invest $1.6 million in the renovation of its facility on West Industry Drive and create 61 new jobs.

Bridgestone Bandag is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp., the Japanese tire and auto-parts maker. Bandag specializes in retreading tires on a mass scale for the trucking industry.

The company is at least the third to get state subsidies for a relocation, expansion or renovation in the West Industry Drive area in recent months.

The Department of Commerce about a year ago pledged $5.7 million for the development of a packing and cold-storage facility by Meel Corp., and in April it also said it would help underwrite an expansion of the CertainTeed shingle plant.

Bandag's project qualified for aid because Granville County is what state officials call a "Tier 2" county. Tier 1 counties are the 40 worst-off counties in the state, economically, and Tier 2 are the next 40. Tier 3 are the remaining 20 and for the most part are urban areas like Wake and Durham counties.

The idea behind the building-reuse grant is to bolster projects in Tier 1 and 2 counties, Granville County officials said.

Their announcement included a statement from Gov. Roy Cooper, who said "investments in rural North Carolina have a positive impact on our state's overall success," and that building-reuse grants help communities like Granville County create good jobs, improve the quality of life of their residents and boost the local economy."

Contact Ray Gronberg at rgronberg@hendersondispatch.com or by phone at 252-436-2850.