Reliance Industries USA To Establish Operations In North Carolina

Reliance Industries USA will invest $215 million in a manufacturing operation near Kinston, N.C., for the production of polyethylene terephthalate resin used to make specialty polyester yarns and plastic containers. The company will lease part of a facility formerly operated by Greensboro, N.C.-based textured yarn producer Unifi Inc., and will employ 204 workers.

“Reliance chose Lenoir County over other locations because of the availability of an existing, adaptable facility, the area’s long history in the polyester industry, the available skilled workforce and training capabilities, proximity to customers, and state and local incentives which will help offset the high cost of establishing a major manufacturing facility,” said Thakur Sharma, president.

The company has received a N.C. Job Development Investment Grant to facilitate its project, which the N.C. Department of Commerce estimates over nine years will create $1.64 billion in cumulative gross product value and generate $53.38 million in cumulative net revenues for the state.

June 24, 2008