Ball bearing company to add 50 jobs in Randleman

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Timken Company, a ball bearing and specialty steel company, will add 50 jobs and invest $27 million over three years at its plant in Randleman, the company announced Friday. In exchange, Timken will get $100,000 in state incentives. "Timken's decision to expand its Randleman facility will provide 50 quality jobs for 50 hard-working North Carolina families," Gov. Mike Easley said in a statement. "The availability of an experienced, skilled workforce in Randleman is one of the key reasons this company is expanding here. We will continue to make the necessary investments in workforce development, education and infrastructure that make North Carolina successful in the global economy." Timken, based in Canton, Ohio, produces ball bearings for industrial, automotive, aerospace and rail applications. The company operates four plants in North Carolina, employing about 1,300 people. The average wage for the new jobs will be nearly $700 a week.