Columbus County commissioners approved a $41,000 economic development incentive grant for Shodja Textiles/Whiteville Fabrics Monday.

Meeting for less than an hour, commissioners conducted a public hearing on the Shonda grant, a grant that will help as the company expands in the former Conflandey building in Southeast Industrial Park, a $1.5 investment by the company.

Shodja president Camron Shodja told the board that his company already has added 15 workers and probably will add another 15-20 workers at the facility over the next two years.

Shodja said that his employees currently are working 10- and 12-hour shifts six days a week. “We started our business here in July 2000 with two employees,” Shodja said, “and we have grown to 50 employees. Most of our employees work 10 and 12 hour shifts six days a week. We have a very low turnover rate and most of our employees have been with us for eight and 10 years or more. What we do is very specialized, and we’re asking for the grant to be approved to help with our cash flow situation as we expand.”

Under the terms of the grant, approved unanimously by the board, the company would receive $41,309.23 over a five-year period, and annual payments will be made only after the previous year’s property taxes have been paid.