Wake County and North Carolina economic development officials are betting on a Pure Animal's to lead the pack in what they consider to be the beginning of a turn around in the economy. More than three dozen officials gathered last week to watch the Chairman of the Board of Daedong Industrials Co., LTD. of Korea lead in the ground breaking ceremony for a new KIOTI (pronounced coyote) tractor and equipment facility in eastern Wake County.
Onlookers watched as government and economic officials lead by Daedong Chairman Sang Soo Kim broke ground with shovels and a KIOTI backhoe at the site near Wendell at the intersection of U. S. 64 and the new Knightdale bypass. We are pleased with the progress of the KIOTI Tractor Division since locating in North Carolina and, with the opening of this new facility we are looking for even greater growth for our compact tractors,said Kim. Herb Council, Chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners spoke in strong support of the announcement and even spoke part of his greetings in Korean to Chairman Kim and the rest of the Korean delegation.
The relocation of KIOTI to Wake County is the latest in a series of important corporate relocations to Wake County, indicating a positive trend for the local economy according to Mike Rakouskas and other officials with the Raleigh Chamber s Wake County Economic Development Program. KIOTI s groundbreaking is part of a larger story that the Triangle s economy is beginning to pick up speed, considering five recent relocations this year of which KIOTI is one.
The 180,000 square-foot headquarters will house KIOTI's new assembly/distribution center and will nearly double the size of the current Wilson, NC location. Officials cite close proximity to a large airport and super highways as being the major draw.
"We are pleased with the cooperation we received from the local community and the State of North Carolina during our decision-making process," said Marion Wilkins, KIOTI's director of business operations, who coordinated the site selection decision. "The support we received from the N.C. Department of Transportation for construction of the access road and from the Town of Wendell for the construction of the water line to serve the site were important to our decision to locate in Wendell. We also appreciate the support we received from Progress Energy, the State Department of Commerce, and the Wake County Economic Development Program during our site selection process."
Depending on weather, KIOTI officials hope to open the facility early 2004.
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KIOTI specializes in the sales and service of quality compact tractors, attachments and implements. Since the first KIOTI compact tractor was introduced in the U.S. in 1985, KIOTI has achieved rapid and on-going progress, aligning itself among the nation's compact tractor brand leaders.
The company mailing address has changed to 6300 KIOTI Dr., Wendell, NC 27591. The company's toll free phone number remains the same at 1-877-GO-KIOTI (465-4684) respectively. For more information on the company, its products or dealer information can be found at their website, www.Kioti.com.
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KIOTI Breaks Ground on New Wake Facility
