news-record.com

FOUR OAKS (AP) — A medical technology company will invest $38.4 million to build a warehouse and East Coast distribution center in this Johnston County town.

BD plans to hire 187 workers to staff the facility over three years beginning in 2012, according to a news release. The company received a $600,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

BD manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. It focuses on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines.

Headquartered in New Jersey, BD operates facilities in more than 50 countries around the world, including five in North Carolina. One is in Burlington, according to BD's website.

Salaries for the new jobs will vary by job function, but the overall annual average wage for the new jobs will be $28,771 plus benefits. That is below the Johnston County average annual wage of $31,408.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported today that Becton Dickinson began operations in Research Triangle Park almost four decades ago and employs more than 700 people in RTP, Durham, Burlington and Mebane.

For more information about BD, including job opportunities, visit www.bd.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.