(RALEIGH) -- A manufacturer of high-tech plastics, rubber and chemicals plans to locate a new facility in Gaston County.  LANXESS Corp. will create 55 jobs and invest $15 million over the next three years in Gastonia.

Gov. Beverly Perdue made the announcement on Wednesday and confirmed that LANXESS is eligible for a $250,000 state grant from the One North Carolina Fund. “When we recruit companies to locate in North Carolina, advanced manufacturing is one of our targeted industries,” said Perdue. “The high-tech demands of companies like LANXESS are a perfect match for our highly skilled workers.”

LANXESS manufactures a wide range of specialty chemicals and polymers throughout the United States. The Gaston County facility will make high-tech compounds used when light weight design off an end product is a high priority. One way LANXESS' compounds are used is in the design of lighter and safer parts for automobiles. Increased fuel efficiency standards are driving demand for these advanced materials.

”North Carolina offers an attractive mix of assets and resources that will help our business succeed, and it is a great place to live and work,” said Randy Dearth, LANXESS Corporation President and CEO.