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Energizer will invest $43M, add 144 jobs in Randolph County

A business investment in Randolph County could help the local economy keep on running. 

Energizer Holdings, Inc. is investing $43 million in growing its battery production and packaging facilities in Asheboro. The company, which is best known for its Energizer batteries as touted by its iconic bunny, expects to add 144 jobs along with an equipment expansion.

Energizer is no stranger to Randolph County, where it has hosted sites for 75 years.

According to a news release, the expansion is expected to create new positions for engineers, maintenance staff, operators, and supervisors. The overall average annual wage for Energizer employees is just over $54,000, exceeding the Randolph County average annual wage of $43,000. Company officials say the new positions could have an annual payroll impact of almost $8 million for the region. 

Governor Roy Cooper announced the development on Monday, praising Energizer for spotlighting North Carolina as “a place for world-renowned companies to grow and succeed.”

In addition to producing batteries and flashlights, Energizer also manufactures auto care products including Armor All and STP. 

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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