Governor Roy Cooper announces that SO-PAK-CO, Inc., a food processor and packager, will create 440 new jobs in Scotland County.
LAURINBURG —Scotland County Board of Commissioners Chairman, Whit Gibson joined Governor Roy Cooper today and announced that SO-PAK-CO will invest in Scotland County by bringing new 440 jobs and $85 million dollars of new investment.
SO-PAK-CO, Inc. is a world leader in the design, processing, and packaging of shelf-stable, ready-to-eat meals and is one of the largest suppliers of combat rations to the U.S. military.
With more than 50 years in the food-processing industry, SO-PAK-CO offers turnkey food processing solutions to not only federal, state, and local agencies, but also to a growing number of commercial retail customers. SO-PAK-CO’s new state-of-the-art facility in Scotland County will increase its manufacturing capacity and is key to the company’s long-term growth, while also creating new jobs in the Laurinburg area and maintaining existing jobs in South Carolina.
SO-PAK-CO currently operates a facility in neighboring Marlboro County, S.C.
“When a global company like SO-PAK-CO chooses to establish their roots in Scotland County it shows their confidence in our community and citizens,” said Chairman Whit Gibson. “The Board of Commissioners is excited about this announcement and the future benefits our entire region will experience. This announcement confirms that when we prepare for future generations, growth and prosperity will come.”
Cooper said when “we pull up our rural areas, everybody succeeds. Particularly in areas that have been hurting economically.”
“Companies are looking for a strong dedicated workforce, they’re looking for a good quality of life and looking for a lower cost of living…You can find that in rural North Carolina,” he said.
Cooper added that the addition of SO-PAK-CO to Scotland County with positively affect all of the surrounding counties.
New positions include craftsmen, managers, operators, and administrative personnel. Salaries for the new positions will vary, with an average annual salary of more than $45,000. The average annual wage in Scotland County is currently $40,894. The project could create a potential annual payroll impact of more than $19.8 million per year for the region.
Jim Willis, Mayor of Laurinburg stated, “This decision by SO-PAK-Co to locate here confirms we are doing the right things to grow our economy. We look forward to welcoming all the SO-PAK-CO employees here once their new state-of-the-art facility is built. We thank SO-PAK-CO, Company President, Laurinburg native Lonnie Thompson, and his team for making this significant investment in our community.”
“We are so pleased to be working with Governor Cooper and the State of North Carolina to establish this new world-class facility,” said Lonnie F. Thompson, President of SO-PAK-CO.
“With the new Laurinburg facility, in addition to our South Carolina campuses, we will be better
able to serve our existing customers while also expanding our capacity to position ourselves for
growth. SO-PAK-CO is appreciative of the support we have already received from state and local partners and look forward to making a positive impact on these economies through this project.”
When asked what the new facility would mean for the plant in Bennettsville, Thompson said, “We feel very assured that none of my employees are going to lose their job. We’re two and a half years away from having to look at those kinds of things. We’re very proud of our employees over there and we want to make sure that we can get them over here. That’s what I would love to do, it’s not that far.”
“Perseverance is an understatement when it comes to this project stated Mark Ward, Director of Economic Development and President of the Scotland County Economic Development Corporation. I appreciate SO-PAK-CO’s owner, Mr. Thompson and his team for the thorough work they put into this decision and trusting Scotland County to become partners in their company’s and our community’s success.
Golden LEAF’s $1.2 million to support a water tank for the Laurinburg Scotland Industrial Park was one
of several contributing factors that led to SO-PAK-CO’s decision.
“The Golden LEAF Board of Directors was pleased to support necessary water infrastructure that will
help bring 440 quality jobs to Scotland County,” said Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer
Scott T. Hamilton. “Golden LEAF supports projects that focus on increasing economic opportunity
through job creation and capital investment, especially in rural counties such as Scotland County.”
The Scotland County Economic Development Corporation appreciates all partners involved in making this project a success including North Carolina Legislators, Scotland County, City of Laurinburg, NC Department of Commerce, Golden Leaf Foundation, Richmond Community College, Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC) and NCDOT. Our partners play a vital role in our ability to add jobs and investment in Scotland County and I’m thankful for their support and dedication to our community.”