Governor Stein Announces 105 New Jobs as Utility Manufacturer Expands Catawba County Operations to a Regional Hub
Today Governor Josh Stein announced Utili-Serve, LLC, a utility infrastructure company, will add 105 new jobs in Catawba County. The company will invest more than $24.8 million to expand its headquarters and construct a new 25,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Conover.
“Companies like Utili-Serve are doubling down on their investments in North Carolina because we have the ingredients for businesses to succeed and grow,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This expansion strengthens our position as a national leader in advanced manufacturing, infrastructure development, and innovation as manufacturers help build our modern power grid.”
Founded in Conover in 2008, Utili-Serve provides essential services to the electrical power industry, such as substation construction and maintenance, transformer and apparatus services, protective relay panel manufacturing, installation and commissioning, and general construction. The company operates 30 specialized construction crews across the southeastern United States, delivering power safely, reliably, and sustainably.
The Conover headquarters expansion is part of a broader strategic growth plan across Utili-Serve’s operations, supporting utility-scale grid projects along the East Coast. The project will introduce field control and protective relay panel manufacturing to the Conover facility, strengthening support for energy providers. This investment will establish the headquarters as a regional hub for project management, manufacturing, and logistics, improving Utili-Serve’s ability to manage projects from design and fabrication to field deployment.
“Conover is our home. Since 2008, we have connected North Carolina and the southeastern United States to power,” said Ben Dietrich, President of Utili-Serve. “As grid demand grows, Utili-Serve remains committed to supporting our energy partners, investing locally, expanding our capabilities, and creating new opportunities for our employees and community.”
“Utili-Serve’s expansion reflects the confidence companies have in North Carolina’s business climate,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “This decision supercharges North Carolina’s reputation for technical excellence in the energy sector and underscores our commitment to create more opportunities for economic prosperity.”
Although the wages will vary for the engineering and panel assembly roles, the annual average salary will be $62,400, which exceeds the Catawba County average of $56,937. These new jobs could potentially create an annual payroll impact of nearly $6.6 million for the region.
A performance-based grant of $250,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help the company expand in North Carolina. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require matching participation from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
"Utili-Serve’s pledge to growing in Conover means increased prosperity for hardworking North Carolinians,” said Senator Mark Hollo. “These new roles will not only support and strengthen our community but also contribute to a resilient local economy and a bright future.”
In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Catawba Valley Community College, Duke Energy, Catawba County, the City of Conover, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation.
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