Johnston County, NC – For the 4th month in a row, the Johnston County Economic Development office has announced another business expansion project. The Iowa 80 Group, a national Truckstop company will expand its Kenly 95 operations to include another 30,000 square feet of for diesel repair and customer service area. The company’s $4 million expansion will result in the addition of 15 new jobs for Johnston County. This addition will be a part of their existing 85,000 sq. ft. facilities located on their 52 acre campus.
“Once again we are extremely pleased that another longtime Johnston County business plans to invest, grow and build on its success in our community,” said Jeffrey Carver, chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. The Board authorized an offer of performance-based financial incentives to help facilitate Kenly 95’s expansion plans. “Ernie Brame and his Kenly 95 team has continued to invest, grow and support our communities in the northern end of the county, and we’re proud that Johnston County will be an even larger part of its future.”
Since opening in May of 1980, the facility saw immediate growth when the Iowa 80 Group purchased the location in 2004 and immediately embarked on a five year plan to take the Kenly location to the next level.
It has approximately 200 full and part time employees and entertains close to 1 million guests annually. Along with the various fuel products and transportation logistics services they offer, it is also home to: The Iron Skillet Restaurant, Wendy’s, Subway, Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Caribou Coffee. In 2016, Kenly 95 expanded with a 23,000 square foot Super Truck Showroom, making it the largest truck stop on the East Coast.
According to General Manager Ernie Brame, the Kenly location currently has revenues approaching $50 million each year, and remits more than $2 million in taxes ranging from motor fuel taxes, sales, payroll, and property taxes.
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.
For additional information, contact:
Chris Johnson, Director
919-205-1232
919-915-6202 (cell)
chris.johnson@johnstonnc.com