Sep 7

Sep 7 New Lenoir County masonry manufacturer invests $4.4 million, plans to hire 25 employees

EastWest Products, LLC purchased an 11-acre cement factory across from Lenoir Community College in Kinston and has invested 4.4 million dollars into the building including a 10,000 square foot addition.

“It sat for 10 years, so there are a lot of cleanup and repairs,” said Nancy St. John, EastWest Products sales coordinator.

While COVID impacted their efforts, the staff has worked hard to open the storefront. After next week, EastWest expects to have the concrete machines functional for future orders.

Storefront inside EastWest Products. Photo: Kristy Bock

“We’re excited to be back and open again after cleaning this place up,” said Brett Hardy, owner of EastWest Products. “It was sad to see it run down, but it’s an old masonry building and we’re getting it up and running.”

Hardy hopes to hire about 25 people with the skillsets needed in the masonry field. EastWest Products will manufacture masonry products including concrete blocks. The blocks will be used for structures including schools, barracks, and hangers as well as blocks for house foundations. They will sell bricks and concrete pavers as well as aggregates like mulch, sand, and rock.

“It was meant for me to do this,” said Hardy. “Things kept coming back that I was supposed to do it.”

Former cement factory, taken from a photo that hangs in the office of EastWest Products. Photo: Kristy Bock

The property was built in the 1940s and housed a cement factory that both Hardy and St. John worked at before it closed when the business moved to Dunn. Both Hardy and St. John have strong ties to Kinston and look forward to doing business here.

“I was with another company for 39 years,” said St. John. “And left to come back here to my roots. It’s like being back home after almost 40 years.”

Even with the delays COVID presented, EastWest Products is open for business in Kinston. They are located at 720 E. New Bern Road in Kinston and will provide masonry services. A website will be online soon where interested applicants may apply.