By Michael Lauzon
CORRESPONDENT
Published: April 18, 2014 2:36 pm ET
Updated: April 18, 2014 2:40 pm ET
Image By: Cambro Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Cambro Manufacturing makes a range of trays and food service products. It will have seven injection molding presses at its new North Carolina plant.
Foodservice products manufacturer Cambro Manufacturing Co. Inc. plans to set up a satellite production and distribution operation in Mebane, N.C., to improve supply lines to the eastern United States.
The Huntington Beach, Calif., company will invest $30.4 million during the next three years, which includes a 220,000-square-foot facility on 28 acres of land, according to a news release from North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s office. Cambro’s equipment investment includes seven injection molding presses.
Cambro makes a wide array of plastic products such as trays, containers, table service goods and display items. It also uses metals and other materials to produce shelving, insulated transportation products and similar equipment for commercial and institutional customers. In addition to Huntington Beach, it manufactures in Germany, Turkey and China, although most of its production occurs in the United States.
Argyle Campbell, owner, co-founder and president, said in an April 17 news release that his firm chose Mebane because of its skilled workforce, transportation logistics and a business-friendly environment. Mebane is located between Greensboro and Raleigh.
Cambro expects to start production during the first quarter of 2015 in Mebane and expects to create 100 jobs. The city of Mebane and Alamance County are offering a $1.4 million incentive package and a performance-based grant of up to $250,000 is available from the One North Carolina Fund. The average annual salary for the new jobs will be about $44,200 plus benefits, versus the average wage of about $35,800 for Alamance County.
Cambro opened in 1951 as a single product company making trays. It has grown to a 1,200-employee business. Local press reports indicated Cambro employs about 800 in the United States, where it makes 90 percent of its products. Sales are about $300 million per year. | 
