North Raleigh Today

Opsun Corporation, a manufacturer of solar panel structures, has announced plans to establish its first U.S. production facility in High Point, North Carolina, investing $9.3 million in the venture. Governor Josh Stein revealed the company's decision, stating that it would bring 20 new jobs to Guilford County.

“This announcement is yet another illustration of how much companies want to do business in North Carolina,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our skilled workforce, commitment to sustainability, and convenient East Coast location continues to attract global manufacturers like Opsun Corporation. I am proud of North Carolina’s continued commitment to our clean energy economy, and I am excited to welcome Opsun to our state.”

Opsun, headquartered in Quebec City, specializes in the design and manufacture of aluminum solar panel mounting structures for both commercial and residential markets. The new U.S. site marks its third manufacturing facility, intended to expand efficiency, increase warehouse capacity, and triple operational capacity.

François Gilles-Gagnon, President of Opsun Corporation, stated: “We’re thrilled to open our first US-base factory in such a booming economic and strategic center. This new facility will be a key to Opsun’s growth in the USA, and together with our North Carolina workforce and local suppliers, we will help drive the growth of solar installations across the state and throughout the United States. Opsun always sourced all components in North America and this new U.S. facility reinforces our commitment for domestically made, high-performance solar mounting systems.”

N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley noted North Carolina’s workforce and strategic location, emphasizing its status as the fourth largest state for installed solar energy capacity. “In addition to our manufacturing workforce of nearly 470,000 North Carolinians, our state is within a day’s drive of 170 million people,” said Lilley. “Opsun is a great addition to North Carolina’s clean energy supply chain and we’re confident that they will be in great company in Guilford County.”

With an average annual salary of $63,015 for the new positions, which surpasses the county's average, the new jobs are expected to contribute an annual payroll impact exceeding $1.2 million in the area.

The project will be supported by a $40,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund, contingent on job creation and capital investment benchmarks being met. Additional project partners include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Guilford Technical Community College, the NC Carolina Core, and local governmental entities.

“These new jobs are a great addition to Guilford County and the entire state of North Carolina,” said N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger. “The manufacturing workforce and accessible talent in the region are second to none, and we know Opsun will have a prosperous future here.”