BioPhil’s Natural Fibers, a company that processes hemp stalk to produce fiber and hurd, is opening a 90,829-square-foot processing facility in Lumberton, N.C. This would mark the company's second processing facility, with the first in Pennsylvania.
The facility is designed to help the company "expand its 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 client's specifications," according to a press release.
The location will also include "research and development for mycelium load-bearing structural composites by Okom Wrks Labs, as well as prototype development and eventually manufacturing for hurd construction materials and other hemp-based products," according to the release.
The key partners on the project include: the North Carolina Department of Commerce; Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina; North Carolina General Assembly; North Carolina Community College System; Robeson Community College; Robeson County; North Carolina's Southeast; Robeson County Committee of 100; Robeson County Office of Economic Development; and City of Lumberton, according to the release.
BioPhil's Natural Fibers CEO Marcel Dabdoub said the company is excited to expand to North Carolina.
"We enjoyed working with local and regional businesses in Lumberton and surrounding areas during our diligence process, as well as our farmers throughout North Carolina over the past two grow seasons, and we look forward to expanding these relationships," he said.
The company said it plans to invest $10.9 million into the new facility and will receive a $125,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund to aid the expansion.
N.C. State Representative Charles Graham said, "We appreciate BioPhil’s investment in Lumberton. This infusion of $10 million will help lift our local economy and benefit this region."
The facility is also expected to create 41 new job positions in production, administrative and managerial roles.
N.C. Senator Danny Britt said the expansion is a "great win" for the county.
"We are ready to fill these new positions and to support BioPhil's expansion to our community," Britt said.
