Anson welcomes two new German industries

WADESBORO — Anson County and Sen. Tom McInnis welcomed two German manufacturing companies to the area as they celebrated a grand opening of their North American headquarters on Oct. 26.

Loba on Top! and Wakol have both been around for about 100 years, but only in 2008 did the companies expand into North America. Wakol specializes in adhesive and chemical components, while Loba focuses on finishes for flooring and primarily wood.

“Both companies are heavily focused in the flooring industry as the majority of their business,” Chief Operating Officer Ashley Carter said. “But we also make adhesives for mattresses, the canning industry, the water bottle industry and things like that.”

The companies first opened in Pineville, North Carolina, but Carter noticed early on the need for space in order to expand and consolidate all different aspects of the business into one central campus. After touring about 60 properties in both North and South Carolina, Wadesboro became the perfect fit.

“I met with the Economic Development and John Marek and those guys really did a lot to incentivize us to move our business here and be a big part of this community moving forward,” Carter said. “That was really our goal. Find a place that wanted us as a partner and that we could also reciprocate that same type of relationship.”

Carter and his team already is making community connections, especially with the schools. Together with South Piedmont Community College, Loba-Wakol will offer developmental programs and trainings. He even met with someone to help bring a trades program to the high school level. These programs will hopefully show a new and unique trade of the flooring business that may not be known.

“We wanted to get that out in front of these young people so they know there is a nice opportunity here,” Carter said. “Most of the training we do is in the flooring side of the business so it is a natural fit … We’re really trying to get involved and let people know that there is an opportunity.”

Besides holding local trainings, Loba-Wakol will host people from around the county in Wadesboro for classes. According to John Marek, Anson EDP Executive Director, this opening will have people from out of state coming to Anson, looking for places to stay, eat and explore while in the county. This will bring tremendous economic growth for the area.

Plus, the some of the employees of Loba-Wakol are moving to the county, which will again boost the local economy and Carter hopes to hire more locals. Carter laughs at how Papa Joe’s already knows his employees well and the ice cream right across the street at Peaches n Cream have sweetly served him during the building months.

Loba-Wakol is still looking to expand, even as their doors are just opening. In the next 12 months, Carter hopes this site will host light manufacturing. Then by 2022 and 2023, heavier manufacturing into the more prominent products of the companies.

“We hope to be fully operational from a manufacturing side for at least 60 to 70% of our products within the next two to three years,” Carter said. “It is a lofty ambitious goal, but at the rate we’re growing, we have to… We’re really trying to make sure we’re bringing more jobs into this area.”

The joint venture companies have seen an average growth of 15 to 20% year after year, according to Carter. There was a dip, as most businesses saw, in March and April due to the coronavirus. Carter said they didn’t want this recession to grab control of them and insisted on getting back into business mode. Since then, the business saw record months.

“It is a testament to our people and just being smart and willing to work hard,” Carter said. “We knew the supply chain was going to be a struggle and we see that even in the construction side of different products. That’s why I really chose to go heavy on the inventory. Let’s make sure we have the product, we have it here and if people can’t get somebody else’s, they’re going to choose us whether they heard of us or not and it’s paid off.”