SALISBURY — PowerHouse Recycling will create 50 new jobs and invest $5 million in an expansion in Rowan County, the Rowan County Economic Development Commission announced Friday.

Originally founded in Salisbury in 2008, PowerHouse has invested in a new facility at 1325 Litton Drive and is hiring for new positions as truck drivers, e-commerce testers, e-commerce procurement and warehouse labor. Positions range from $12 to $20 per hour. Those positions are available at powerhouserecycling.com.

“PowerHouse Recycling Inc. has operated in Rowan County for over a decade and is where most of our 150 employees call home,” said Brett Henderson, PowerHouse Recycling vice president. “The geographical location has allowed PHR to efficiently service the major cities in North Carolina as well as our clientele in South Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky. We are excited for this next phase of growth and are actively hiring an additional 50 employees in 2021 with full-time work, a health care plan, a 401k with a company match program as well as other benefits.”

The company was planning in early 2020 to expand its headquarters at 220 Ryan Patrick Drive by adding 100,000 square-feet to the facility. The Rowan EDC was working with the city of Salisbury and the Rowan County Board of Commissioners to facilitate that expansion with thousands in grant funding.

However, PowerHouse decided to purchase a separate building instead, receiving no government funding for its expansion. The building the company is filling now on Litton Drive was the former site of Salisbury Machinery, a subsidiary of Michelin Tires that closed operations in mid-2020

PowerHouse offers a wide range of services, including electronics recycling, asset management, data destruction, full-service pick-ups, warehouse solutions, cell phone recycling and cleaning out data centers. The company is Responsible Recycling certified and e-Steward certified.

“We now operate multiple facilities in Rowan County, just shy of a quarter-million square feet between both addresses, and will continue our capital expenditure within the county as we grow our business and create jobs,” Henderson said.

PowerHouse has already invested more than $4.5 million into its new facility, with another $500,000 of expenditure in machinery still anticipated.

“PowerHouse Recycling has been a valued partner and employer in Rowan for many years and we appreciate their investment in Rowan County and the community,” said Rod Crider, Rowan EDC president. “This expansion not only brings new jobs and economic benefits to Rowan County, but also emphasizes the success and value of eco-friendly businesses that will make the world a better place for future generations.”