RALEIGH, NC — International trading desk and control room furniture manufacturer SBFI announced plans to open a new plant in McDowell County, North Carolina. According to a statement from Gov. Bev Perdue's office, SBFI will create 25 jobs and invest more than $1.4 million in the city of Old Fort, NC, over the next three years.

Founded in 1976, SBFI designs, manufactures and installs trading room furniture, control center furniture and flat screen monitor arms. According to its website, the company is headquartered in London, with operations in Hong Kong and Sydney, as well as agents in Brussels, Tokyo, Moscow, Dubai and India. In addition to the new locale in Old Fort, SBFI North America has its headquarters in Asheville, NC, as well as an office in New York.

According to The McDowell News, SBFI's new plant will be located in the former Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing facility, which closed early 2011. The plant, which is located across the street from an Ethan Allen factory, has 31,360 square feet of space on approximately 3.5 acres of land according to the real estate listing.

A $75,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund helped provide financial assistance for the project.

“We are excited about expanding operations in McDowell County,” Tom Finger, president of SBFI North America, said in a statement. “SBFI has always been community minded and we look forward to contributing positively to the Old Fort community. We feel confident that our decision to locate in McDowell County was the best choice for everyone involved.”