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G.R. Mabrey Enterprises is renovating the former Valley Proteins site in the Adams Grove Community to expand its business operations, with future plans to also aid in the education of Camp Community College heavy equipment operator students.

Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc. President and CEO Karl T. Heck stated in a recent FSEDI email update that Mabrey Enterprises is a North Carolina-based company that works as a trucking contractor for Enviva. 

The company’s owner, Glenn Mabrey, said he purchased the former Valley Proteins site in early August.

“We’re located on 203 acres here,” he said.

Heck stated that “the former Valley Proteins facility had closed in 2013, and had a fire in 2019 that ended up destroying the largest building on the site. Currently, there is a shop/maintenance facility, truck scales, a large storage area and space for truck parking, loading and unloading and the storage of materials.”

He noted that Mabrey plans several businesses for the parcel.

“We’re opening up an express quick lube service for trucks, especially to tackle the port traffic,” Mabrey said. “We’re putting a tire shop in, a parts center to service the trucking industry. We’re also going to be expanding into the mulch side of it, making mulch, selling mulch, selling rocks, field dirt, topsoil. Those are the things that we’re looking to do over this way at this facility.”

He said, “Our goal is to probably create 40 to 50 jobs in this little spot right here.”

Mabrey said he was drawn to the site in Adams Grove because he knew the place had potential, and he had seen it for sale for so long.

He said he “just finally took that step and called the Realtor, and here we are.”

Mabrey Enterprises already had a connection to the area, given the presence of nearby Enviva Pellets Southampton LLC.

“We ship to Enviva in Southampton, and we’re a contractor and we ship a lot of material to Enviva over in Northampton County in North Carolina,” Mabrey said. “So they keep us real busy.”

Heck stated that Mabrey Enterprises’ “purchase, renovation and development are a major boost for Western Southampton County.”

Mabrey Enterprises could also be a major boost for students at Camp Community College.

“FSEDI and Camp Community College workforce representatives recently met with the new company and will be continuing to work with them as they grow and develop,” Heck stated.

Mabrey shared details of what that meeting was about.

“We want to put basically a course out here where they do heavy equipment operating,” he said. “When the people go through the class, you’re only doing everything through a simulator, and the goal is to have it set up here with a dirt track to work out of so they can actually come here and do hands-on training for the heavy operating classes at the community college.”

“That’s the plans in the future, as well, for this location,” he said.