GLOBAL MAKER OF FUEL HANDLING SYSTEMS GROWS ITS JOCO PRESENCE
OPW and ARCO Design/Build Officials Join County Leaders in Groundbreaking
Johnston County, N.C. – July 21, 2026. About 75 business and civic leaders joined OPW executives and representatives of ARCO Design/Build on Friday to break ground on a major expansion to OPW’s operations near Johnston Regional Airport on US Highway 70 Business. The company, part of Illinois-based Dover Corp [NYSE: DOV], is a leading global provider of fluid transfer solutions, including retail fueling systems. ARCO Design/Build, an experienced leader in Johnston County industrial real estate, is OPW’s architectural and construction partner for the expansion.
“This is a big deal,” said Michael McCann, Vice President and General Manager at OPW, citing Johnston County’s business environment and excellent workforce. OPW maintains plants in China, Malaysia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. “But this is the headquarters,” McCann said, “and that’s not random.” Since acquiring the Smithfield facility in 2006, OPW has grown its local workforce from 50 to about 500. “It’s a great North Carolina story, and it wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community, government officials and our employees,” said McCann, who has been involved in the facility’s management for the last two decades.
Greg Kennedy, Vice President of Operations at OPW, spoke of the support his company gets from local government in Johnston County, the Economic Development Office, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, and OPW employees. “Johnston County is very important to OPW,” Kennedy said. “The people in this area make things so easy.” Turnover at the company’s Smithfield facility, for example, is a scant five percent, he added. “Johnston Community Collegehas done tremendous things for us,” Kennedy added. “We have great training programs we’ve developed in partnership with JCC that help educate kids in this area.”
ARCO, OPW’s development partner, is a national design-build construction firm specializing in industrial facilities. The firm integrates feasibility, design and construction under one interdisciplinary team – enabling faster delivery, better cost certainty and reduced risk for its clients. Through its Raleigh office, one of 19 ARCO maintains nationwide, the company has a rich history of supporting Johnston County’s industrial real estate. Earlier this year, ARCO joined Blue Steel Development in breaking ground on Steel 70, a three-building industrial complex in Clayton that will accommodate distribution, warehousing and light manufacturing operations. “The reason I love being here is because the community is great,” said Matt Hohorst, Chief Construction Officer at ARCO Design/Build, noting that after opening its Raleigh office, the firm’s first project was in Johnston County. “We kind of fell in love with it then,” Hohorst recalled.
OPW’s expansion comes just nine days after officials from AdvanceTEC and its new French sister corporation, Pierre Guerin, broke ground on a $7.5 million expansion that adds 32,000 – square-foot to its Clayton manufacturing footprint. “While Johnston County works hard to maintain its unique community roots, our economy has a global reach that attracts investment dollars and jobs from around the U.S. and the world,” explained Ed Aldridge, chairman of the Johnston County Economic Development Advisory Board. “Not all business destinations can say that. We can because our leadership has extraordinary vision, our neighborhoods are warm and welcoming, and our growing workforce is unbeatable,” Aldridge said.
OPW’s global footprint includes sales offices on six continents. Its Retail Fueling business is a leading producer of innovative fuel dispensing, transfer and secondary containment solutions. The company is ISO-9000 certified and utilizes Lean Manufacturing and rigid Six Sigma Quality Systems to maximize quality throughout the entire product life cycle.
Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover Corp. is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenues topping $8 billion. With a global workforce of 24,000, the company delivers innovative components and aftermarket parts, digital solutions, supplies, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Dover Corp. sits in the elite ranks of “Dividend Kings,” a Wall Street distinction that acknowledges more than 50 years of continuous dividend increases. Dover, in fact, has grown its dividend for the past 71 consecutive years.
The Johnston County Economic Development Office (JCEDO) facilitates value-added interaction between government, education, and the private sector in encouraging and promoting job creation and economic investment in Johnston County. A unit of county government, JCEDO collaborates with local, regional, and statewide partners and allies in providing confidential location assistance to businesses and technical support to the county’s 11 municipalities. Its menu of services includes customized digital mapping, labor and wage analysis, site readiness assistance and incentive packaging.