BD to Build in Wilson, Expand in Durham

Raleigh, N.C. — BD, a medical technology firm formerly known as Becton, Dickinson and Co., will build a new plant in Wilson County, expand three of its facilities in Durham County and add 274 jobs as part of a $134.7 million expansion plan, Gov. Mike Easley said Thursday.

BD (NYSE: BDX) will receive nearly $4 million in rebated state income taxes if it meets terms of the agreement it signed with the state through the Job Development Investment Grant, or JDIG, program.

Durham County will be the site for 182 of the new jobs. The other 92 will be created in Wilson County. The company already employs 578 people in Durham County.

The New Jersey-based company manufactures medical devices and instrument systems.

“BD’s presence is another example of why North Carolina has been consistently ranked among the top three states in biotechnology and life sciences,” Easley said in a statement. “This announcement shows that our efforts in education and job training keep North Carolina a nationally recognized leader in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.”

The Durham County wages will average nearly $54,000 and the Wilson County facility wages will be $46,000, not including benefits.

“Worldwide demand for BD’s products is continuing to grow and we are expanding to meet that demand,” said Johnathan Macy, BD’s senior vice president for integrated supply chain. “We could not be more pleased to be expanding in North Carolina. The spirit of public-private partnership here, combined with the skilled workforce and infrastructures we depend on, have allowed us to deepen our commitment to a region that over 700 BD associates already call home.”

The JDIG grant was approved Thursday by the state’s Economic Investment Committee.