This grant provided funding to Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) to support efforts of GF Linamar, LLC to locate a light metal foundry in Henderson County. (GF Linamar, LLC is a joint venture comprised of Linamar Corporation and GF Automotive.) The facility produces high-pressure die cast products for the automobile industry. The company created 428 new jobs with an average annual wage of $50,112 plus benefits, which is significantly higher than the county average. Golden LEAF funds were used to purchase a high-pressure die casting cell that the college uses to train potential workers for GF Linamar and employees of other companies in the region. No other community college in the state has this type of training equipment and capability.
