Company announces plans to expand NC headquarters

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A company that provides background screening, drug testing, employment verification, vendor credentialing and other services is announcing plans to expand its corporate headquarters in Wilmington.

Governor Pat McCrory's office said Friday that Castle Branch plans to create 420 new jobs in North Carolina by the end of 2017 and invest $10.2 million in its New Hanover County location.

The project was made possible in part by an award from the state Job Development Investment Grant program.

Castle Branch was founded in 1997. It employs 200 people in Wilmington and recently expanded with a California sales office.

Compensation will vary by job function, but total payroll is estimated to be $13.9 million plus benefits. The average annual wage in New Hanover County is $38,204.