Stanly County is seeing tangible returns from a strategic infrastructure improvement at Riverstone Industrial Park. Golden LEAF funding to extend and improve the access road off Brown’s Hill Road transformed both how the park functions and how it was perceived by prospective employers.
In 2021, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $159,034 to extend and improve access into Riverstone Industrial Park. The road improvement helped American Racing Headers locate a new facility at the park, creating 56 new jobs with an average annual wage above the county average and making a capital investment of $4.375 million.
“Built to North Carolina Department of Transportation standards, the new road fundamentally changed access to Riverstone Industrial Park,” said Elizabeth Kazimir, Stanly County Director of Economic Development. “Golden LEAF funding for the road was integral to the park’s marketability.”
The improved access influenced development across the park by opening multiple parcels for use and increasing overall site readiness. Beyond American Racing Headers, the enhanced infrastructure helped attract an additional manufacturer.
“Our first project was American Racing Headers,” said Kazimir. “Then, two years later, OB Builders announced they would locate in the park as well. OB Builders has broken ground and will create 11 new jobs and relocate 47 existing jobs.”
Kazimir noted that Riverstone Industrial Park still has room to grow.
“There is limited availability remaining at Riverstone Industrial Park,” she said. “There are about 20 acres left. We could accommodate one strong project on the remaining land.”
The creation of new, higher-paying manufacturing jobs has had a meaningful impact on the local workforce and economy. These jobs increase household income, support local businesses, and help retain skilled workers who might otherwise commute out of the county.
“I don’t think we would have been able to do it without Golden LEAF,” said Kazimir. “As a more rural county, we can’t compete with larger neighbors like Mecklenburg County. Golden LEAF was an integral part of allowing us to compete for and land these projects.”
These projects also reinforce a key industry sector in Stanly County.
“Stanly County has a strong metals sector,” said Kazimir. “That sector has remained strong with companies like Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, Chicago Tube & Iron, and several metal fabrication shops.”
The sector is further supported by workforce development efforts at the local community college.“We have heard from Stanly Community College that Stanly County has one of the largest metal fabrication workforces on the East Coast,” said Kazimir. “American Racing Headers, along with Golden LEAF’s participation, helped support the opening of a new trades facility. This has been a huge benefit for workforce training and for building a pipeline that connects students directly to jobs at these companies.”