Corning Inc. (NYSE:GLW) plans to create 428 jobs over three years in North Carolina, with a new distribution facility in Edgecombe County and an expansion of manufacturing operations in Durham, officials said Wednesday.

Corning, a world leader in materials science, said the operations will support the company’s new pharmaceutical glass packaging product, Valor Glass, and potential growth from other Corning businesses in North Carolina and elsewhere. The $86 million Tarboro warehouse, to open off U.S. Highway 64 in late 2019, will create 111 jobs, while the $189 million invested in the Durham manufacturing site is expected to create 317 jobs, officials said.

“We were impressed with the highly skilled workforce, the excellent, excellent quality of life and the overall business-friendly environment,” Eric Musser, executive vice president of Corning Technologies and International, said at a news conference at Edgecombe Community College.

Gov. Roy Cooper called and local officials called the dual economic development announcement an example of the symbiotic relationship between urban and rural North Carolina in creating jobs.

Corning Valor Glass packaging, introduced in July, offers superior chemical durability, strength and damage resistance, the company said, adding that those qualities enable increased throughput and more reliable access to state-of-the-art medicines for patients, while maintaining a high level of quality assurance for pharmaceutical companies.

Although salaries will vary by position and location, the average wage will be $65,999 at the proposed facility in Durham County and $33,771 in Edgecombe County, in line with average wages in each location.

The state’s Economic Investment Committee approved two Job Development Investment Grants for Corning to assist with the two projects. Over the course of the 12-year terms of each grant, the JDIG agreement for the Durham County location authorizes the potential reimbursement of up to $3,215,250 in employee withholding taxes. The grant is contingent upon Durham County offering local incentives. The JDIG associated with the Edgecombe County location authorizes the potential reimbursement of up to $1,236,000.

Corning, which already employs more than 4,000 people at six North Carolina facilities, must meet annual investment and hiring targets to obtain the funds.

Wednesday’s announcement was the first of two planned news events in Edgecombe County linked to job creation.

WRAL News has learned that Cooper is scheduled to provide details next Tuesday about a Chinese tire maker that plans to invest more than $500 million to produce upwards of 800 jobs in the area.

Cooper said the people of Edgecombe County are nothing if not resilient.

“They are hard-working. They’re ready to go,” he said. “Yes, we have challenges, as other areas of Eastern North Carolina have faced, but we also have opportunities.”