WS Chronicle

The popular convenience store/gas station chain Sheetz Inc., announced last week that it will establish a distribution and food manufacturing facility in Burlington. The facility is expected to create 254 jobs by the end of 2018 and invest more than $32.8 million in the state’s economy.

To help facilitate this new operation, the company has been awarded a grant of up to $800,000 from the state’s One North Carolina Fund, which assists the state in industry recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance through local governments to attract business projects deemed by the governor to be vital to a healthy and growing state economy. One North Carolina Fund grants require a local match, and this grant is contingent upon approval of local incentives.

“Companies like Sheetz recognize that North Carolina is a great place to thrive because of our top-notch business climate, well-trained workforce, and a strong logistics network that fits the company’s needs,” said Gov. Bev. Perdue.  “We’re going to keep leveraging North Carolina’s tremendous assets as we continue our focus on job expansion.”

Sheetz Inc., founded in 1952, is a family-owned convenience store chain based in Altoona, Penn.   The company operates more than 425 locations in N.C. and five other states – Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and West Virginia – and employs more than 14,500 employees.

“We appreciate the support we received from the Department of Commerce, Alamance County and the City of Burlington throughout this process,” said Stan Sheetz, president and CEO of Sheetz, Inc. “North Carolina’s winning mix of a strong labor force, financial assistance and excellent location will enable us to better serve our customers and expand our offerings in North Carolina and Virginia.” 

The Burlington facility, operating as Sheetz Distribution Services, will support the company’s growing retail base in Virginia and North Carolina. Sheetz continues to transform its business model from a traditional gas station/convenience store concept to include offering “kicked-up convenience” such as baked goods, made-to-order sandwiches and salads, and other restaurant items.

Compensation will vary by job function, but the average annual payroll will be more than $7.4 million plus benefits.

The state Economic Investment Committee also voted to award a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) to Sheetz. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

For more information about Sheetz, Inc., including job opportunities, visit  HYPERLINK “http://www.sheetz.com” www.sheetz.com.