US MgO to build $5M manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, creating 35 Jobs
LELAND, NC (WWAY) — US MgO is set to invest $5 million in a new manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, bringing at least 35 new jobs to the area, company and county officials announced Tuesday.
During a public hearing at its Monday meeting, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners approved the sale of approximately 22 acres in the Leland Innovation Park to US MgO. The company plans to build a 75,000-square-foot facility to manufacture magnesium oxide (MgO) cement sheathing panels, used in commercial, multifamily and industrial construction across North America.
“After two years of research and development at our small facility in Leland, we’re thrilled to break ground on this major upgrade,” said Ryan Miller of US MgO. “While MgO panels aren’t known to most folks, they are one of the construction industry’s most innovative building products.”
The company already operates research and development facilities in Brunswick County and warehousing operations in Wilmington. US MgO was founded in 2023 by industry veterans with decades of experience in building materials.
Brunswick County Commission Chairman Mike Forte praised the project.
“Brunswick County is proud to support another exciting project that will further strengthen our local economy and provide new local jobs,” Forte said. “We are so pleased to have US MgO expand their presence in our community.”
Brunswick Business & Industry Development (BBID) worked closely with the company and county over the past two years to help make the project possible. The land, made up of four parcels previously owned by the now-defunct Brunswick County Economic Development Commission, presented unique development challenges, according to BBID Board Chairman Allen Bryant.
“The property was difficult to develop, which is why we have been marketing it for many years without success,” Bryant said. “Today represents the culmination of multiple efforts by many people.”
The estimated average wage for hourly employees at the new facility is expected to be $52, including benefits such as overtime, vacation, and incentives.
US MgO’s partners on the project include the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, BBID, Brunswick Community College, and North Carolina’s Southeast.
