Drylock Technologies, a leading manufacturer of hygiene products, is investing more than $26.9 million to establish its first US baby care production facility in the city of Reidsville. This will create 113 new jobs in Rockingham County.

Based in Belgium, Drylock Technologies has produced private label absorbent baby, feminine, and adult care hygiene products for more than a decade with nine plants and 3,750 employees globally. The family-owned company develops innovative hygiene products with a focus on sustainability from operating on renewable energy to making the first compostable diaper in the world. The new facility will move US baby care production from Europe to a state-of-the-art 450,000-square-foot manufacturing operation that will support faster product development for Drylock’s clients in the United States.

“People often asked me when I would be establishing a baby products plant in the US - and I’m very happy to say that the time is now,” said Bart Van Malderen, the CEO of Drylock Technologies. “In 2023, we reached €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) in sales, but we’re eager to keep growing. The next step we’re taking towards further growth is to open a baby care products plant in North Carolina. With a localised manufacturing presence, we can support faster product development for our US customers and empower them with an unparalleled speed to market. The move is part of our follow our customers strategy: it’s our answer to the increasing demand for baby care products among our valued North American customers and serves as the perfect addition to our plant in Wisconsin, which has served as the cornerstone of our incontinence products for seven years.”

Salaries will vary by position with an average annual wage of $46,040, which exceeds the Rockingham County average of $43,892. These new jobs could potentially create an annual payroll impact of more than $5.2 million for the region, the company said in a press release.

A performance-based grant of $300,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help Drylock Technologies establish its new production site. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.