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8 <br /> 1 opportunities, and introduce desired job skills and related benefits to a community, and for the <br /> 2 benefit of its residents. The Local Government Act, North Carolina General Statute (NCGS) 158- <br /> 3 7.1, outlines the requirements of public hearings, and NCGS 158-7.1(a) specifically addresses <br /> 4 the requirement that economic development appropriations "must be determined by the governing <br /> 5 body of the city or county to increase the population, taxable property, agriculture industries, <br /> 6 employment, industrial output, or business prospects of the city or county". This public hearing <br /> 7 has been scheduled in compliance. <br /> 8 <br /> 9 Company Background: <br /> 10 Morinaga America Foods' current operation is based in a 101,495 square foot manufacturing <br /> 11 facility located along Wilson Road in the County's western Buckhorn Economic Development <br /> 12 District. This operation makes "HI-CHEW" candy, employs approximately 204 full-time <br /> 13 associates, and has a current County property tax valuation of$31.6 million. The facility is located <br /> 14 within the County's designated "Buckhorn Economic Development District" and Mebane's city <br /> 15 limits. <br /> 16 <br /> 17 On September 3, 2013, Morinaga announced its decision to make its first major manufacturing <br /> 18 investment in the United States, and in Orange County, as follows: <br /> 19 • Capital Investment: $48 million <br /> 20 • Employment: 90 jobs <br /> 21 . Average Salary: $37,969 <br /> 22 • Annual Payroll, with benefits: $3.4 million <br /> 23 • Facility Size & Type:Approximately 110,000 square feet <br /> 24 • Type of Operation: Production of the fruit flavored candy snack "HI-CHEW" <br /> 25 <br /> 26 Description of Proposed Manufacturing Expansion Project: <br /> 27 • A doubling of the current manufacturing operations at the existing Orange County site to <br /> 28 increase production capacity for"HI-CHEW" candy. <br /> 29 • $136 million total new capital investment, with $127,077,000 million in new capital <br /> 30 investment forecast to occur over the five-year investment period (2024-2028), as outlined <br /> 31 in the Performance Agreement, and the remaining $9.9 million investment to occur on or <br /> 32 after 2029. <br /> 33 • 204 additional new jobs will be created between 2026 — 2030 with an average annual <br /> 34 wage of$48,912 (or approximately$23.52 per hour). These jobs are full-time and include <br /> 35 healthcare and related employment benefits. <br /> 36 • New construction of an additional 132,600 square feet of production space. <br /> 37 • Competing sites were considered in Taiwan and China (where Morinaga operates existing <br /> 38 Hi-Chew manufacturing plants), or in a new facility to be constructed in Vietnam. <br /> 39 • Orange County's site is the Company's existing 21-acre factory property located at 4391 <br /> 40 Wilson Road, Mebane, NC. The site is outlined on the following location map. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 <br />