New Plastics Manufacturer Invests in Lincolnton, NC

Lincoln County, NC: During a press conference held on Monday, May 16 at the Lincoln Economic Development Association, Governor Perdue announced that AptarGroup, Inc would locate their newest manufacturing facility in Lincolnton, NC, bringing with it 150 jobs over a five-year period, paying an average annual salary of $36,311. Representatives from Aptar included; COO, Steve Hagge; President of Food and Beverage, Greg Weldon; Plant Manager, Mark Bradley; Director of Taxation, Mark Miller.

Comments were also made by Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, Chairman Alex Patton, Lincoln Economic Development Association Chairman, Tom Anderson, and the City of Lincolnton Mayor, John Gilleland. This project became a reality by a collaborative effort from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Lincoln Economic Development Association, Gaston College, and the Charlotte Regional Partnership.

AptarGroup Inc is a global supplier of customized dispensing systems such as pumps, closures, and aerosol valves for the personal care, pharmaceutical, household, and food and beverage markets. The company will be located in the Lincoln County Industrial Park and has plans to begin production by the fourth quarter of 2011.

Aptar began their search by looking at over 100 available facilities with at least four being in North Carolina, Lincoln County being one of them. After visiting each facility, Lincoln County was the only one that made the final list, competing to the very end with Kentucky. Aptar’s initial investment of $27 million in building upgrades and equipment qualifies them for local incentives under the Lincoln County Industrial Incentive Grant Program.

AptarGroup, Inc. comments on their decision:

Thanks to Governor Perdue, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Lincoln Economic Development Association in Lincolnton, and all the Lincoln County and NC State officials and representatives who have assisted with Aptar’s decision process.

[The] investment decision was a long and involved process starting with the review of over 100 properties and the use of the outside expertise of globally recognized real estate development and financial firms.

In the end, Lincoln County and the State of North Carolina was the choice of Aptar for many factors, including:

o the support of the local and state communities

o the strong local labor force

o value aspects of the community that match Aptar values

o the strength of the local community college and educational system and its support of business training.

Aptar is:

o A multibillion $ international company HQd in Crystal Lake, IL

o A manufacturer of consumer dispensing systems, many used in your own homes

o A company with approx. 9,000 employees WW, operating in 19 countries

o A company with strong financials and an admirable record

o Committed to strong company values and a strong and steady employee base

o Experiencing a very exciting time for Food + Beverage business with a lot of project activity in the pipeline and thus, the need to expand our capacity to better serve our customers

o Excited that this will be the first fully dedicated Food + Beverage facility for Aptar and this is, therefore, an important step for the entire organization

The support from the state and local officials for this project will be of great assistance to Aptar in:

o Making financial investments into the local plant and related M&E

o Partnering with the local community to forge a long-term partnership

o Investing in local quality employees to develop and promote their careers

Thanks again to the Governor, state and local officials and representatives, and the local community. We look forward to working with and beside you in the days and years ahead.

COO, Greg Hagge

AptarGroup, Inc.

“It is exciting to have a company such as Aptar choose Lincoln County as a home to one of their manufacturing locations. It has been a privilege to work with their leadership team as we look forward to continue assisting them through our Existing Business Program,” says Crystal Gettys, Business Development Manager, Lincoln Economic Development Association.

“We are extremely honored to have AptarGroup, Inc. as a part of our Lincoln County business community. We do not take lightly the fact that Aptar chose to do their business here in Lincoln County and we look forward to a positive and long term relationship. We feel strongly that they will be proud of their decision to locate here. It was an honor to have the Governor travel to Lincoln County to make this announcement, and we greatly appreciate the role that the State played in securing Aptar. We also cannot overstate the importance of our local economic team. LEDA has worked tirelessly to bring this to fruition in the face of stiff competition. Barry Matherly and Crystal Gettys, and the others, continue to deliver exceptional results for the citizens of our county. Our Industrial Park continues to shine and grow through their efforts. It is truly a great day for Lincoln County” states Alex Patton, chairman, Lincoln County Board of Commissioners.

Tom Anderson, Chairman, Lincoln Economic Development Association, comments: “We are pleased that Aptar has selected Lincoln County for their new facility, and we welcome them as they join the list of other firms that have chosen to locate in the business friendly environment offered by Lincoln County. We are confident that they will be pleased with their decision and with the support provided to the business community.”

“We congratulate AptarGroug on their decision to locate operations in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Their investment reinforces the pro-business environment we have in the Charlotte USA region for manufacturing and our commitment to attracting and growing industry leaders” comments Ronnie Bryant, Charlotte Regional Partnership.

About LEDA

Lincoln Economic Development Association is a private, 501c(3) non-profit corporation charged with facilitating industrial and office development in Lincolnton and Lincoln County. LEDA’s mission is to foster an economic environment that promotes an enhancement of the standard of living by creating more and better jobs for the citizens of Lincolnton and Lincoln County and an increased and diversified tax base to provide needed community services. The organization’s goals include retention and expansion of existing business; attraction of diversified base industries and improvement of the overall business climate within Lincolnton and Lincoln County.

For media inquiries, please contact:

AptarGroup

815-477-0424