BIOPHIL Natural Fibers, a hemp stalk processor with a processing facility in Pennsylvania, has announced plans to invest more than $10.9 million in a new operation in Lumberton, N.C. The company produces fiber and hurd from the stalks, which can be used in a variety of applications from construction to paper and nonwovens and woven textiles. The new 90,829-square-foot facility will have decortication equipment as well as parallel processing lines to further clean, refine, and cut hurd and fiber to customer specifications. The operation also will house research and development for mycelium load-bearing structural composites by Okom Wrks Labs, as well as prototyping and eventually manufacturing for hurd-based construction materials and other hemp-based products.
Biophil will hire 41 associates for the new facility including production, administrative and managerial roles with an average starting salary of more than $40,000.
September/October 2022
