100 jobs coming to Union County with Spanish company’s $30.5 million investment – Business North Carolina

An automotive refinishing and industrial coatings company based in Spain will open its first U.S. manufacturing center in Monroe with a $30.5 million investment that will create 100 jobs, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce.

Briolf USA, the subsidiary of the family-run international industrial group, has a 50-plus year history in the chemical sector and operates several companies gathered into eight main subsidiaries, addressing different market segments. Briolf will set up operations in Monroe of its main subsidiary, the international coatings manufacturer Roberlo.

Roberlo’s product line offers solutions for automotive refinishing and industrial coatings, among others. The project at the Monroe Corporate Center over time will become a manufacturing production campus for other Briolf Group companies. The facility will enable all companies of the Group with commercial presence in the United States to better serve their North American customers.

“We are really excited for this significant milestone in our history. The U.S. has become a crucial market for us,” said Jaume Juher, president of Briolf Group, in a statement. “Having this first production plant in North Carolina reinforces our strategy and maximizes our presence in the entire region.

“As a family-run company, our vision takes a long-term perspective. We believe this partnership will be very positive for both our company and the entire community in the coming decades,” Juher added.

The company’s new positions will include engineers, managers, and operations and support staff, with the potential to create an annual payroll impact in the community of more than $5 million per year. The release did not provide information on average wages for the new operations, but the company will pay “competitive wages” above the current average wage in Union County of $49,129, says Chris Platé, executive director of the Monroe-Union County Economic Development Commission.

Construction in the city-owned Monroe Corporate Center will begin in 2025 and operations are expected to begin in 2026, says Platé. The center is located about 24 miles southeast of Charlotte.

The company employs 1,100 workers and does business in 120 counties. In 2023, Briolf Group’s paint and coatings sales reached 215 million euros (about $234 million), representing a 28.7% increase compared to the previous year, according to its website. The company is based in Girona, Spain, about 62 miles east of Barcelona.

A performance-based grant of $150,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Briolf’s expansion. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. One North Carolina grants require a matching grant from local governments. The city of Monroe will provide $1,075,000 and Union County will provide 1,175,000 over a nine-year period, says Platé.