The Orange County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed tax incentives for ABB, Inc. earlier this week for the Swiss-based manufacturing company to expand its 400,000 square-foot facility just east of Mebane.

The county’s incentives are valued at nearly $1 million and are performance-based, meaning ABB will receive the money over a five-year period as the company hits employment and tax evaluation goals.

The planned expansion will add another 200,000 square feet to the facility. ABB is currently the largest private employer in the county, according to county officials. It’s U.S. headquarters is based nearby in Cary.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, ABB representative Doug Sutter said the expansion of the Mebane facility was part of a strategy of consolidation for ABB’s American branch after recent acquisitions.

ABB considered other locations for an expanded facility, including in Mississippi. If that another site had been chosen, county officials said 110 jobs would have been lost at the Orange County plant.

But Sutter said the company was swayed in part by the great universities in the area that can provide a qualified workforce. County representatives have said state and county tax incentives also played a role in the decision.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Sutter said the Orange County facility makes electronic distribution equipment, used to connect electricity from transmission lines to large factories or commercials buildings.

“To the normal person’s eyes we make gray-painted boxes,” he said. “But there is a lot of technology and a lot nuance and a lot of talent that goes into making those correctly safely and making sure that they work for our customer.”

More than 400 jobs are expected to be created over the five-year period, including jobs from the construction of the expanded facility. Around 90 of the jobs created will be salaried positions, according to Sutter.

After the company’s statement and commissioner’s questions there were no other questions from members of the public in attendance. The commissioners then passed the tax incentives 7-0.

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