Gray and Morinaga Celebrate Major Construction Milestone

MEBANE, N.C., June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gray, a fully integrated design-builder specializing in end-to-end solutions in Construction, Professional Services, Specialty Equipment, and Real Estate, joined Morinaga America Foods to celebrate the topping out of the company's new North Carolina manufacturing facility.

On Tuesday, the final beam was placed atop Morinaga's brownfield confectionary expansion during the ceremony. This time-honored construction tradition signifies a project reaching its structural peak.

Morinaga chose Gray to provide a suite of integrated services for the unique needs of this project, including construction, engineering, and automation services. Additionally, the Gray team will procure and install process equipment for Morinaga on this project.

Gray's efforts to solve Morinaga's challenges with a comprehensive package of integrated professional services ultimately led the customer to accelerate the project timeline.

"This topping out marks more than just progress, it celebrates the strength of our partnership and the shared commitment driving this project forward," says Brett Goode, executive vice president, food & beverage market, Gray. "It's an honor to work alongside Morinaga on a facility that will help shape the future of the confectionery market and meet growing demand in a rapidly expanding sector."

Once complete, this 130,000 s.f. expansion will support Morinaga's growing U.S. presence and increase production of HI-CHEW, one of the fasting growing non-chocolate candies in the country. The expanded facility will enable Morinaga to meet increasing customer demand, boost output capacity, and streamline operations under one roof.

Once fully operational, the new facility is expected to provide more than 200 new jobs for the area.

About Gray:

Gray is a fully integrated design-builder delivering end-to-end solutions in construction, professional services, specialty equipment, and real estate. Since 1960, we have grown from a regional contractor to a nationally ranked leader, serving top companies in our core markets. Our comprehensive services — spanning design, engineering, construction, automation, equipment, and real estate — make us a trusted partner for every phase of a project. Whether designing and building a state-of-the-art facility, fabricating custom process equipment, or implementing advanced automation, our expertise drives innovation and value at every step. At Gray, we don't just build projects — we build lasting partnerships.

For more information on Gray, visit gray.com and follow Gray on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Abby Johnson

Vice President, Integrated Marketing

[email protected]

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SOURCE Gray Construction