-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood
Auction Direct USA announced plans to expand its regional operations to Granville County, which is expected to bring more than 170 new jobs for the new vehicle refurbishment and wholesale facility.
State and local officials welcomed the company executives during an event in Oxford on Tuesday. Auction Direct USA will occupy a portion of the former Santa Fe Tobacco production center located on Knotts Grove Road. The company’s project in Granville County will establish a high-volume location to recondition vehicles and prepare them for wholesale.
“We see our company becoming a part of the Granville County community,” said Auction Direct USA CEO Tim Frank. “Auction Direct has become the company it is today by investing in our employees and preparing them for success with our company and for the future. We know that the culture we build is the most important part of our business model and the monetary success we have as is just a byproduct of creating a place that our employees want to be a part of.”
“Granville County works every day to build a culture of success for our citizens” said Harry Mills, Granville County Economic Development director. “Announcements like this show that Granville is ready to lead the way for our region as we attract new growth, that includes more jobs and opportunities for our citizens. Auction Direct USA has proven that they are committed to ‘Growing with Granville,’ by bringing investment that cultivates success for their customers and our community as a whole.”
“We are always pleased to welcome a new business to Granville County, but we are truly excited to welcome a company known across the country for success and innovation,” said Chair of the Granville County Board of Commissioners Russ May. “The board of commissioners takes great pride in ensuring that Granville County is a place that promotes success for our existing businesses and welcomes new investment. I am confident that today’s announcement will have a positive effect on our community for years to come. Auction Direct USA is the exact type of company we hope to attract to Granville; one that will bring in stable, high-paying jobs and become ingrained in our community.”
As a result of Auction Direct USA’s investment with its Granville County facility, the company is eligible to receive a $2,076,300 Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) over the course of 12 years from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and a $500,000 Building Reuse Grant from the NC Rural Infrastructure Authority. In return, by 2024 Auction Direct USA will invest $2.9 million in facility improvements and create 173 jobs with an average salary of $88,258 – nearly double the current median salary in Granville County.
“Auction Direct USA choosing Granville County as its expansion location shows North Carolina has secured a foothold in the automotive industry,” said Jordan Whichard, deputy secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. “North Carolina continues to see economic development success in the automotive sector, and we are thrilled that Auction Direct is showing a commitment to Oxford, Granville County and the State of North Carolina with this major expansion and investment.”
Auction Direct USA was formed in Rochester, New York in 2004 by a group of automotive professionals who loved the car business, but not the way vehicles were sold to customers. This group used their combined 70 years of experience to develop a new approach to car sales that focused on fun and letting customers “drive” the process. This new location in Granville County will provide a base of operations to refurbish incoming stock and allow direct sales to vehicle wholesalers with a new subsidiary called “a.i.m.” This subsidiary will allow Auction Direct to expand into supply chain solutions, providing both wholesale and retail-ready vehicles to the entire automotive industry, including dealers and digital channels.