Governor Roy Cooper announced earlier this week that EPOC Enviro, the PFAS processing company, will create 226 new jobs in Iredell County. The company will invest more than $4.1 million to locate its first North American production site in Statesville.
EPOC Enviro is a subsidiary of OPEC Systems, an Australian company with three decades of global experience in environmental engineering. With SAFF®, Surface Active Foam Fractionation technology, EPOC provides a clean and sustainable treatment solution that removes harmful Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from water, soil and industrial systems. The company patented SAFF® in 2016 as a natural process that uses air to permanently and quickly cure PFAS while not harming the environment. The new location in Statesville will provide 260,000 square feet of manufacturing space to service and expand its US market.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce has led the state’s efforts to support EPOC in North Carolina. The new positions include electricians, engineers, mechanics, managers, technicians and administrative staff. Although salaries for new positions will vary, the average annual salary for new positions is $64,464, which exceeds the Iredell County median wage of $64,433. The project could create a potential annual payroll impact of more than $14.5 million annually for the region.
The EPOC project will be facilitated, in part, by a Career Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state Economic Investment Commission. Over the 12-year period of this grant, the project is expected to grow the state’s economy by $712 million.
Because EPOC selected a site in Iredell County, classified by the state’s economic class system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for $421,750 to be transferred to the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utilities Account. The benefit account helps rural communities across the state fund infrastructure upgrades needed to attract future business.