Purilum LLC Locates in Greenville
By Michael Abramowitz
The Daily Reflector
June 22, 2014 - A federal grant administered through the N.C. Department of Commerce will provide a Greenville electronic cigarette product supply company $210,000 to establish a start-up venture in the city and add new jobs.
N.C. Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker and Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Pat Mitchell announced on Thursday that the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved the use of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development community development block grant funds in Greenville and four other cities totaling $1.4 million with the commitment of more than 130 new jobs.
The local grant portion will support the reuse of an 18,000-square-foot building at 967 Woodridge Park Road in Greenville. The structure was built in 2005 and has been vacant for eight years.
Purilum LLC, a start-up joint venture between Raleigh-based Alliance One Specialty Products and IOTO USA, will locate in the building with a goal of becoming a leader in the e-liquids filling and manufacturing industry for e-cigarettes, commerce department officials said.
The company is planning to offer flavorings for other products, including food and beverages.
The company committed to creating 21 full-time jobs, the officials said.
European-based IOTO USA, which processes and distributes reconstituted tobacco products, has been established in Greenville since 2008. The company is located at 1997 N. Greene St, managing partner Bianca Iodice said on Friday.
“It’s been great doing business here in Greenville,” Iodice said. “People have helped us many ways throughout our time here, such as to understand the complex state and local business regulations that might be simple for Americans but (are) very complicated for us Europeans.”
IOTA will continue at its location as Purilum begins its operations on Woodridge Park Road, Iodice said.
“We were being conservative when deciding how many jobs the new company should produce,” she said. “We hope it will lead to even more.”
The RIA was established within the state commerce department’s Rural Economic Development division to assist with the review and approval of grants for rural areas in the state.
The grant-making programs of the new division include assistance for building reuse and restoration as well as infrastructure including water and sewer. The commerce department administers the economic development program. CDBG economic development provides grants to local governments for creating and retaining jobs.
Funding for projects is based on the number of jobs to be created and the level of distress in the community applying for the funds.
Contact Michael Abramowitz at mabramowitz@reflector.com or 252-329-9571.
