Hundreds of acres primed for industrial use in Goldsboro is on the market as the city tries to lure business.

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Phinite, Inc., a leader in agricultural technology and sustainable fertilizer manufacturing, will establish its next-generation manufacturing plant in Sampson County, creating 23 new jobs. The company will invest approximately $5.5 million in Turkey, NC, occupying approximately 69,000 square feet of the former Allen Canning Company facility.

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Governor Roy Cooper signed a proclamation Oct. 8, 2024, recognizing the 30th anniversary of North Carolina Southeast, saying that North Carolina's Southeast has played a key part in attracting 190 corporate locations to the region since the mid-1990s.

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There is a lot you can’t see from U.S. 70, like the Craven County Industrial Park on the west side of New Bern, screened by trees. The park has been a success story and its 300 or so acres are almost sold out. The county needs another big park, which is a good problem to have.

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Between May and August 2024, more than 2.1 million people visited Craven County. The increased demand for travel to our region, coupled with expanded air service at EWN, has played a pivotal role in this growth.

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The North Carolina Department of Transportation is working to convert two bypass segments of US 70 into Interstate 42. The NCDOT received federal approval for the Interstate. Now, crews are working in Johnston, Wayne and Lenoir counties.

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Graceland Portable Buildings, headquartered in Kentucky, will invest $7.4 million into the project and hire 51 employees. The average wage is said to be $43,335 per year, slightly higher than the county’s average, projected to create an annual payroll impact of more than $2.2 million for the region.

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For the first time in more than a decade, NASCAR’s national touring series will return to the famed Rockingham Speedway in 2025.

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According to a survey by SmartAsset.com, 65% of the top 20 community colleges in the U.S. are in North Carolina. North Carolina schools tend to have the best balance of retention, personal attention and affordability. Wayne Community College placed fourth on the list. Also placing in the top 20 were James Sprunt Community College (#11), Southeastern Community College (#12), and Sandhills Community College (#13).

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The Town of Aberdeen (Moore County), Robeson County, and Brunswick County will receive state grants from the Rural Infrastructure Authority in support of projects that could create 190 jobs in the region with an accompanying private investment of more than $684 million.

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A plastic packaging company plans to expand its operations in Moore County by spending $7.4 million and adding 32 jobs in Aberdeen. Reliance Packaging, which has operated in Aberdeen since 2014, extrudes plastic resin into printed heavy duty plastic bags and film for the lawn and garden market as well as many other outdoor applications.

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A $1.375 million grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation is earmarked for Robeson County to develop a preliminary design plan for a 80,000-square-foot shell building at the COMtech Business Park. The empty building may bring a business that would invest $9.2 million in private capital and the creation of 75 jobs averaging a $45,000 salary.

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Methodist University is receiving an $8 million grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation to pay for equipment and other costs while creating Fayetteville’s first medical school, with Cape Fear Valley Health. The school is expected to create 260 jobs and eventually graduate 120 doctors per year. Golden LEAF has funded 2,292 projects totaling $1.3 billion.

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A nearly $1 billion titanium plant bringing hundreds of high-paying jobs will be built in Cumberland County, the Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Corporation announced Tuesday afternoon. American Titanium Metals, operating under the name Project Aero, has announced it will build its aerospace-grade titanium mill in Fayetteville, creating more than 300 jobs with an average salary of $123,476.

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The giant new Amazon Fulfillment Center near Fort Liberty has opened. The 1.3 million-square-foot-facility located in the Military Business Park was supposed to open in 2023, but a representative from Amazon told WRAL News the delay won’t stop the company in its plans to hire 1,000 employees at the site. Amazon has warehouses across the state.

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North Carolina received the number 2 spot in 2024 in CNBC's ranking of America's Top States for Business. North Carolina received high marks for business friendliness, workforce, and economy, among other factors, coming behind Virginia. Other states that ranked in the top five were Texas (3), Georgia (4), and Florida (5).

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Four sites in North Carolina’s Southeast region made a recently released list of the state's top 15 sites for industrial development under 1,000 acres. The sites are: North Carolina Global TransPark – North Site (Lenoir); Holly Shelter Business Park (New Hanover); Energy Way Industrial Park (Richmond); and ParkEast-Ivey Site (Wayne).

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Alianza –Team Foods USA, Inc., a prominent organization in the vegetable lipids, fats, and oils sector across multiple Latin American countries, is excited to announce the creation of Team Foods USA, Inc. This new initiative signifies Alianza Team's entry into the U.S. market, highlighted by the planned construction of an advanced food production facility in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Team Foods USA, Inc. will create 16 new jobs and invest $36.4 million in capital investment.

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A Canadian-based aerospace firm chose Wilmington for its U.S. expansion and plans to bring in hundreds of jobs. In five years, Protocase and 45Drives plan to have full-on manufacturing in Wilmington, but this summer the companies will start to hire locally to help fill corporate and administrative support roles. In total, the companies plan to hire 400 employees.

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Amazon will begin hiring for its completed Inbound Crossdock facility in Fayetteville. At full operation, the 1.3 million square-foot facility, located in the Military Business Park (6309 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303) will employ more than 1,000 workers in full and part-time positions.

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The Campbell Soup Company has decided to invest up to $150 million for an expansion at its Robeson County facility, according to a news release. The company, which currently employs around 1,200 people at its Maxton location, plans to add approximately 100 new workers.

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Developers looking to build a high-end automotive motorsport park have chosen a 400-acre tract near the Moore-Montgomery county line for the project. The Uwharrie Motorsports Park and Resort would represent a $100 million investment and could create at least 32 full-time jobs and 100 part-time jobs, at an average salary of $48,000.

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The North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges approved several new programs and certifications at the April 19 board meeting – demonstrating the importance of preparing students for emerging industries. Among the new programs are Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Technician Certification, Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operator Flight Training and UAS Operations Management.

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Site prep on the Fleet Readiness Center East C-130 MRO facility at the North Carolina Global TransPark is underway! Fleet Readiness Center East would gain much-needed space to perform maintenance and repair work on the Navy and Marine large transport planes, the C-130s. The MRO facility announcement forecasts 444 new jobs and a capital expenditure of $450 million.

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A $1.58 million grant will be awarded to give Columbus County the ability to expand the roadway leading into the International Logistics Park. The over 1,100-acre property is located at U.S. 74/76 at the Brunswick and Columbus County border.

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Another 30 acres of land in Brunswick County will be used to continue its momentum of economic development. After investing nearly $19 million to purchase hundreds of acres of land last year, Brunswick County leaders unanimously decided last month to buy even more land in the Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park to support an incoming manufacturing facility.

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New Hanover County has entered into an agreement to support the expansion of Wilmington Trade Center, a strategically positioned business park on U.S. Highway 421 near the I-140 interchange.

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Southeastern North Carolina's 20-county region stretches from picturesque trails and lakes of the Uwharrie Mountains to more than 100 miles of Atlantic Ocean shoreline, a panorama of open land, energetic cities, agriculture and historic small towns.

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North Carolina's Southeast President Steve Yost recently penned a letter to our legislators to express the organization's support of the proposed Propel NC plan.

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Epsilon Advanced Materials received a 2024 Community Impact Award from Trade & Industry Development, a leading publication dedicated to site selection for businesses, for its plans to locate in Brunswick County, North Carolina.

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Wilmington came out on top when veteran site-selection consultant John Boyd studied the best East Coast corporate office locations in the “new normal” world. He concluded that Wilmington was the lowest-cost site for a new office on the East Coast.

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Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is proud to welcome a new airline partner: Breeze Airways. This addition creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for EWN to offer the only nonstop, "Nice Low Cost Carrier" flights in the region.

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North Carolina’s Southeast is excited to announce its newest partners, Parker Poe and KCI Associates of NC, P.A. (KCI), and welcome Ann Turnbill as a board member.

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Aviation management company Sovereign Aerospace will invest $4.15 million to manufacture, sell, and service personal aircraft in Elizabethtown, Governor Roy Cooper announced. This first U.S. manufacturing plant will bring 33 new jobs to Bladen County.

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Today, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $8,510,465 to support 13 projects through the Community-Based Grants Initiative in the Piedmont-Triad Prosperity Zone and $1,225,000 to support five projects through the Open Grants Program.

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Frontier Scientific Solutions, a leading global storage and logistics provider specializing in the pharmaceutical industry, proudly announces its recent achievement of securing a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Designation – a groundbreaking milestone as the first in Foreign Trade Zone 214 in the state of North Carolina.

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3i Group-backed Regional Rail LLC announced it acquired the assets of Clinton Terminal Railroad, which will be owned and operated by Regional Rail, a subsidiary of Carolina Coastal Railway (CLNA). The acquisition will add approximately 3.5 miles of rail line which currently serves several rail customers in Clinton, NC.

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North Carolina's Southeast released it 2022-23 Annual Report documenting another strong year in the region, including the addition of Jones and Richmond counties to the Partnership.

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The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 10 grant requests to local governments totaling $2,080,000. Among the recipients are a $100,000 grant to Columbus County to support the renovation of a 135,000-square-foot building in Tabor City, a project expected to generate 21 new jobs; and a $75,000 grant to Wayne County to support the 15,000-square-foot expansion of a building in Goldsboro, expected to create nine jobs.

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A supplier of automotive replacement parts will expand and modernize its distribution operations in Columbus County, creating 21 jobs. DMA Industries, LLC will invest $1.47 million in its warehouse and distribution facility in Tabor City. The average annual salary for the new positions is $40,824. Columbus County’s average annual wage is $38,544.

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The Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) proudly announces over $7 million dollars was secured for Craven County in the latest North Carolina state budget. On September 22, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a $30 billion budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, designating significant funds to fuel the momentum of economic development initiatives in Craven County. In tandem with dedicated state delegations and community leaders, the public-private partnership C1A successfully lobbied for government spending that would uphold Craven County as a desirable destination in the aerospace and industrial sectors.

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North Carolina’s Southeast, the 20-county economic development regional partnership, will be led by new officers: Spence Broadhurst, Eastern North Carolina Regional President at First National Bank, Chairman; Jason McLeod, Business Development Manager for ECS, Vice-Chairman; Jimmy Smith, Director of Economic and Community Development at Four County Electric Membership Cooperative in Burgaw, Secretary-Treasurer.

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Senator Thom Tillis announced a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements to the Port of Wilmington. All funding comes directly from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which Senator Tillis helped negotiate, write, and pass into law. In total, the Wilmington region (Brunswick, New Hanover, Columbus, Bladen, Pender Counties) has already been awarded more than $190 million total from the bipartisan legislation.

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SANY America Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of one of the world’s largest engineering-machinery manufacturers, is in the process of creating a North American warehouse and distribution presence in Wilmington.

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SANY America Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of one of the world’s largest engineering-machinery manufacturers, is in the process of creating a North American warehouse and distribution presence in Wilmington.

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Flow Sciences Inc., a Leland manufacturer of science laboratory equipment, was one of eight Export-Import Bank of the U.S. customers named Exporters of the Year last week during the bank’s 2023 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The manufacturer has used the bank’s support for more than $14.5 million in export volume to 15 countries.

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Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), India’s leading battery materials company announced, alongside N.C. Governor Roy Cooper at Brunswick County Community College, plans to build a $650 million graphite anode manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, North Carolina. The facility is the first and largest Indian investment in the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) battery industry.

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Wilmington is making a name for itself in the tech industry. In a nationwide ranking of tech metros, Wilmington placed 51st, up three places from last year. This stat is good news when compared to the city’s over 200th rank in population, said Jim Roberts, founder of the Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW).

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flyExclusive, the Kinston-based provider of what it calls “premium jet charter experiences,” is turning $30 million from the state of North Carolina into a new headquarters and what it calls a “cutting-edge pilot training center and headquarters” at the Global TransPark.

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Wilmington’s Edgewater Ventures has acquired 187 acres next to its existing Wilmington Trade Center property, which will expand the business park to 212 acres, a news release said. Edgewater Ventures plans to provide up to 3.3 million square feet of industrial facilities. The park will be able to “accommodate industrial users up to 1,000,000 square feet.”

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“It’s an exciting day to get to celebrate a new company coming to the North Carolina’s Southeast region,” said Steve Yost, president of North Carolina’s Southeast. “I applaud Executive Director of the Columbus County EDC Dr. Gary Lanier, Columbus County and the City of Whiteville for their work in landing Provalus as a major new company presence. We’re looking forward to the day they can open the doors to their new location and welcome in all its employees.”

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An India-based company is looking to grow its footprint inside Pender Commerce Park. Hose manufacturer Polyhose is moving forward with the acquisition of more than 8 acres along the industrial park’s western edge. The company plans to expand its existing warehousing and assembly facility onto the new site.

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Kesseböhmer, a family-owned metal processor that supplies retail display and kitchen storage solutions to U.S. and international markets, is consolidating and expanding North American operations into a new building in New Hanover County. The company, based in the northern Germany town of Bad Essen, is making a strategic investment in North American markets by basing two operating divisions at a new +$30 million facility off U.S. Hwy 421.

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Francini Inc., a leading importer and distributor of natural & engineered stone products, has now purchased just under six acres at the newly established Blue Clay Business Park in New Hanover County. The company, based in Southern California and with an existing presence in Wilmington, will add to its regional portfolio and capacity, further supporting the market.

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Governor Roy Cooper announced the state’s first Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program awards totaling $22 million that will connect 6,012 households and 164 businesses in 14 counties to high-speed internet. The awards include Onslow, Robeson, and Sampson counties in North Carolina's Southeast region.

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According to the latest American Manufacturing Resurgence Poll, North Carolina is among the top states benefitting from reshoring. “We’ve seen proof in the growing trend of reshoring right here in southeastern North Carolina,” said Steve Yost, president of North Carolina’s Southeast.

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Senator Thom Tillis announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be awarding $24.9 million to North Carolina to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit 2,674 people, 84 businesses, 117 farms, and four educational facilities in Bladen, Columbus, and Sampson Counties.

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Economic development officials say good things are happening along U.S. 74, the main east-west corridor along North Carolina’s southern border. As the N.C. Department of Transportation continues to upgrade the highway to turn it into an interstate, some say more manufacturing companies will want to take advantage of the easy access to Wilmington and Charlotte.

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Logistics firms, a software company and a pet resort chain are among the nine Wilmington-area companies ranked on Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. The highest spot was Summit Logistics Group, one of three local companies, including Edward Teach Brewing and Summit Industrial, owned by Gary Sholar.

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Wilmington’s newest film studio announced a major expansion on Thursday afternoon. The more than 100,000-square-foot campus is about to grow by another 40,000 square feet. Kirk Englebright, studios president, announced two new stages are being built to accommodate the growing film industry.

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Five projects within southeastern North Carolina made Business North Carolina’s list of the top 25 job-rich economic development projects announced last year, including a project generated by North Carolina’s Southeast.

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The North Carolina State Ports Authority is taking the final step toward a major expansion project at its Wilmington location. Targeting cargo growth and economic development, the port’s new intermodal facility will break ground in January. Its completion is expected by spring of 2025 and will cost around $22.6 million.

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Eleven North Carolina local governments will get $4.4 million in grants for economic development projects. The money comes from the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority. Among the recipients, Lenoir County will receive $500,000 for a building renovation expected to create 72 jobs; Moore County will receive $160,000 for a building renovation expected to create 40 new jobs; and Robeson County will receive $100,000 to support renovation of a building that is expected to create 10 new jobs.

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Several areas within North Carolina’s Southeast’s footprint appeared on lists of metropolitan and micropolitan areas that have shown “rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period.”

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For the first time, the economic impact of North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness industry has surpassed $100 billion, setting a new record of $103.2 billion. The 20 counties that make up North Carolina’s Southeast place the region in second place in the U.S. for food manufacturing and processing. Several counties also ranked among the top 40 best places to farm in the country. In North Carolina, the southeastern region has the highest agriculture producing counties in the state thanks to its poultry and pork industries.

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Highland Roofing, a female-owned company based in Wilmington, made Business North Carolina’s 2023 list of best employers.

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North Carolina’s Southeast is celebrating a number of board members, local developers and partners who made the Business North Carolina 2023 Power List thanks to their leadership in supporting economic development.

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On the global scale, the Port of Wilmington ranks 44th in a 2022 technical report in which the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), looks at data from 348 container ports around the world and compares them on the basis of productivity. Among all ports in the U.S. and Canada, Wilmington comes out on top.

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North Carolina is the winner of Site Selection magazine’s top honor for economic development, stretching its streak to three straight years as recipient of the Prosperity Cup. North Carolina landed a state record of 151 projects, commitments of more than 27,000 jobs and investments totaling $15.58 billion.

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Minnesota-based Select Genetics will create 26 jobs and invest $58 million to build a new turkey egg hatchery and establish turkey farms in Goldsboro, which will get a $58 million turkey hatchery with Select Genetics expansion. These new jobs will have a potential annual payroll impact of more than $1.1 million for the region.

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The Albert J. Ellis Airport in Onslow County will soon begin the design phase of the airport runway extension, a $29 million project stemming from funds approved in 2022. The project is funded by a North Carolina Department of Transportation grant. An environmental assessment is underway, now under review by the Federal Aviation Administration.

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A peanut shelling company, Severn Peanut, will invest $17 million and hire 44 employees in Elizabethtown in Bladen County to upgrade its facilities and improve its peanut butter production. The peanut company shells and processes peanuts for growers and retailers.

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Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) and American Airlines are pleased to announce five daily flights connecting travelers through Charlotte to destinations of their choice all around the world.

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Pilkington North America Inc., a glass manufacturing company, will invest $86.8 million into its operations in Scotland County, which will create 20 jobs in Laurinburg. The average annual salary for the new positions is $58,825. Scotland County’s overall average annual wage is $42,644.

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Curtis L. Brown, Jr. Airport and the Elizabethtown Airport and Economic Development Commission are excited to announce that Sovereign Aerospace LLC. will be expanding operations to Elizabethtown to offer flight instruction, general aviation maintenance and will assume duties as the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) for Curtis L. Brown, Jr. Airport.

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UPS will locate a distribution facility in the Onslow County town of Holly Ridge, which will bring 98 jobs and a $12.3 million investment to the coastal town, Gov. Roy Cooper announced. This is the largest economic development project for Onslow County in 40 years, according to the governor’s office.

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The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 14 grant requests to local governments totaling $6,644,500. The requests include commitments to create a total of 324 jobs, 62 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $31.5 million in private investment. 

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Several private companies and organizations have recently joined North Carolina’s Southeast (aka The Southeastern Partnership) or elevated their membership.

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Another segment of U.S. 70 in Craven County will be upgraded to interstate standards, thanks to a $242 million state contract awarded last week. The N.C. Department of Transportation will improve 6.4 miles of the highway between Thurman Road and the Havelock Bypass. Officials say that section serves the Global TransPark in Kinston, several military installations, the Port of Morehead City, and beach communities.

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North Carolina has been named Business Facilities’ 2022 State of the Year, marking the second time the state has been recognized for this top honor from the publication. The Tar Heel State was recognized previously by Business Facilities as its 2020 State of the Year.

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Fort Bragg will receive more than $84.5 million to go toward construction projects including a new gun range, Special Forces buildings and a child care center, according to the 2023 defense budget.

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North Carolina ranks as a top state in two recent reports as the best place to start a new business. The state has seen a record-setting boom of new business launches in 2021 and 2022. Motely Fool, citing data from CNBC and elsewhere, lifted North Carolina to No. 1 in its late 2022 report from a similar report in 2021. The state ranked first overall in economy, number 2 in access to capital, and number 5 in technology and innovation.

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United Kingdom-based Ellerman City Liners has announced Wilmington as a stop among its new service line, the U.S. Express Service (USX). The bi-weekly service will expand the port’s access to Northern European markets. USX will also offer N.C. Ports' customers an extended reach, according to a release.

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One of the largest shipping container companies in the world will operate a cold storage facility in Pender County to facilitate the movement of refrigerated goods through the Port of Wilmington. In 2020, global shipping giant Maersk acquired Performance Team, a third-party logistics company specializing in warehousing and transportation. Performance Team has signed an operating agreement with RL Cold, a development firm in the midst of constructing a nearly 285,000-square-foot facility in the Pender Commerce Park.

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Building on a historic wave of new jobs and investment, North Carolina’s Southeast continued working with arriving and expanding businesses as they worked to bring new economic opportunities to the region in 2021-2022. Twelve companies across seven key industry segments unveiled plans to invest a total of $419.6 million in the Southeast Region, creating 1,236 announced new jobs.

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The North Carolina’s Southeast Board of Directors has approved requests from county and business leaders in Jones and Richmond counties to join the Southeastern Partnership. In admitting the two as members, the Board also amended the organization’s by-laws to raise the cap on participating counties from 18 to 20.

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The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) designated the University of North Carolina Wilmington an “Innovation & Economic Prosperity University.” A UNCW announcement stated the designation will “support economic development through a variety of activities, including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology transfer, talent and workforce development, and community development.”

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GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy plans to add 485 jobs over the next five years as it invests $85 million in its New Hanover County operations. The Wilmington-based company, which is a joint venture of GE and Japan’s Hitachi that was formed in 2007, makes fuel and components for nuclear power plants, focusing in recent years on small modular reactors.

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SO-PAK-CO, a Mullins, S.C.-based food processor and packager, will invest $85 million in a processing and packaging center and add 440 new jobs in Laurinburg in Scotland County. It’s the largest job announcement for the county in more than 20 years. SO-PAK-CO will offer average salaries of more than $45,000.

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The annual N.C. Tech Association report on North Carolina’s competitiveness shows two NC Southeast metro areas ranking in the top 100 of all metros in the U.S. The Wilmington metro area ranked in the 54th percentile, while the Fayetteville metro area ranked in the 98th percentile. North Carolina had two metro areas that ranked the top ten - Durham/Chapel Hill (6th) and Raleigh/Cary (8th). Other North Carolina metros that were in the top 100 include Charlotte/Concord/Gastonia (28th), Greenville, NC (73rd), Winston-Salem (82nd), Greensboro/High Point (84th), and Asheville (91st). Hickory/Lenoir/Morganton barely missed the top 100, ranking 105th in the U.S.

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Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is pleased to announce the start of a major terminal expansion project. The terminal expansion is part of a multi-faceted master plan designed to strengthen the airport’s long-term appeal and functionality for airlines and passengers alike.

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has awarded Robeson County and Scotland County a $25 million grant to improve broadband. The network will connect 13,972 people, 198 businesses, 166 farms and 18 public schools to high-speed internet.

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SunTree Snack Foods will create 94 new jobs in Wayne County, Governor Roy Cooper announced. The company will invest $10.1 million to establish an East Coast manufacturing site in Goldsboro.

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BIOPHIL Natural Fibers, a manufacturer of organic raw materials, said Wednesday it will create 41 new jobs in Lumberton as part of opening a $10.9 million new processing facility.

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Live Oak Bank, a digitally-focused bank, will create 204 new jobs in New Hanover County with annual pay averaging $101,000. The company will invest $25 million in Wilmington to expand its campus and staff. The state is offering about $1.5 million in incentives over 12 years.

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Governor Roy Cooper announced that nearly 85,000 households and more than 2,400 businesses in 69 counties are set to receive access to high-speed internet thanks to more than $206 million of Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants. North Carolina's Southeast counties included in the grant dispersal include the counties of: Bladen, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Onslow, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, and Wayne.

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The unique assets and location of the Global TransPark work well for military as well as civilian aviation. TransPark officials expect to land more military-related operations as the nation’s defense needs change. U.S. Senator Thom Tillis believes the Global TransPark is primed to grow as a military asset, which would bring economic benefits to the state.

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Asbury Graphite of NC has selected Robeson County as the location of a graphene facility that plans to employ approximately 22 additional workers near Lumberton, NC. The company plans to invest $17 million at their current location off Lowe Rd near the former Converse facility.

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North Carolina’s Southeast has approved 23 applications from its Product Development Fund. The funds, which will boost the development and enhancement of industrial sites and shell buildings across the Southeast’s 18 counties, stem from a $5 million appropriation last year from the North Carolina General Assembly. Support will cover a wide array of engineering, water and wastewater infrastructure, design work, construction, roadway access and other needs. 

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NVR, a Fortune 500 company that builds single-family site-built homes, is bringing 189 jobs to Fayetteville in Cumberland County with its new, $25 million factory, Cumberland County economic development officials said. 

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Third-party logistics provider, Port City Logistics, will create 75 new jobs in New Hanover County, Governor Roy Cooper announced. The company will invest $16 million to construct a high velocity transload facility in Wilmington.

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North Carolina is the leader for Best Business Climate in Business Facilities’ 18th Annual Rankings Report, published in the upcoming issue of the magazine.

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CNBC’s annual study once again puts all 50 states to the test, measuring them on more than 85 different metrics in 10 key categories of competitiveness. North Carolina comes out on top, particularly in economy, technology and innovation, and access to capital.

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Three economic development professionals from Southeastern North Carolina have been awarded professional development scholarships from the North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA): Brandie Mae Grubb, economic development specialist, Sampson County EDC; Megan Sellers, director of marketing and project management, NCSE; and Stephen Barrington, executive director, Sampson County EDC.
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Treeline, a New York-based real estate investment and development company, is planning to create a modern industrial park on U.S. 421 North in Wilmington. Treeline plans to spend at least $18 million on the park.
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Cabinet manufacturer Design Mode Cabinetry will create 139 new jobs in Duplin County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $13 million to establish a manufacturing facility in the Town of Warsaw.

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Thirty-seven North Carolina counties, including  Bladen, Columbus, Craven, Duplin, Lenoir, Onslow, and Wayne counties, will participate in a pilot program to train young people for careers in information technology and other fields. UNC’s School of Government is leading the project and will partner with local school systems, community colleges, workforce agencies, and nonprofits.
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An annual analysis of startup ecosystems from StartupBlink ranks the Triangle region 41st globally and 16th in the country as a startup hub. Charlotte, with a similar population, ranks 73rd globally, while Wilmington checked in at No. 2 among similar sized cities across globe.
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For the second consecutive year, North Carolina topped the Prosperity Cup ranking from Site Selection magazine as the nation’s top state for economic and business development projects. A Site Selection editor said: “North Carolina’s increasingly resonant example represents the triumph of long-term planning, perseverance and adaptability, investment and execution.”
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Atlantic Building Components & Services, Inc., a manufacturer of wood trusses and building components for the construction industry, will locate a new manufacturing facility in Robeson County, creating 105 jobs. The company will invest $6 million in Fairmont.
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The website SmartAsset graded more than 800 community colleges nationwide by their student-to-faculty ratio, graduation and transfer rates and the cost of tuition and fees. Montgomery Community College in Troy ranked No. 1. Lenoir Community College in Kinston ranked No. 7.
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RL Cold, the largest cold chain developer in the nation, broke ground on a $100 million cold chain storage facility in the Pender Commerce Park. At nearly 285,000 square feet, the facility, designed as an import-export hub for refrigerated cargo delivered through the Port of Wilmington, will be among the most modernized and sustainable cold chain storage products on the market, officials said at a groundbreaking ceremony.
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Site Selection magazine ranked Lumberton among the country’s Top 10 Micropolitans, which are urban areas with a population of at least 10,000 but no greater than 50,000. The magazine’s rankings are determined by the number of major industry projects completed or underway in the year 2021.
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AgCarolina Farm Credit and Cape Fear Farm Credit jointly announced their intention to pursue a merger of equals. The two Associations would operate as AgCarolina Farm Credit, ACA and the combined company would have a presence in 46 contiguous counties in eastern North Carolina with headquarters centrally located in Greenville.
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The fruit processor plans a 100,000 square-foot fruit processing facility west of Whiteville in the Southeast Regional Industrial Park, where the company has invested several million dollars in greenhouse tunnels. The tunnels require about 15 workers each day checking water and trellising plants.
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Lowe’s Companies is preparing to establish a distribution warehouse center in Brunswick County, with plans to add approximately 50 jobs to the region. The company will partner with a third party to run the 67,000-square-foot Brunswick County warehouse. Hourly and management opportunities will be available among the new slate of jobs.
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Amazon will build a new distribution center on 40 acres (16.2 hectares) at Pender Commerce Park, creating more than 100 full-time jobs offering starting wages of $15 an hour and comprehensive benefits beginning on the first day of employment. The 142,000-sq.-ft. facility is anticipated to be completed in 2023. It will serve the company’s growing customer base in Greater Wilmington.

“We are excited to continue to invest in the State of North Carolina with a new delivery station that will provide efficient delivery for customers,” said Sam Blatt, Amazon’s Economic Development Manager for North Carolina. “The region has an excellent, growing workforce that will support the success of this important new facility.”

The Delivery Station at Pender Commerce Park will create hundreds of full and part-time associate jobs, all paying at least $15 per hour, in addition to hundreds of driver opportunities for Amazon’s Delivery Service Partners and Amazon Flex drivers. Delivery Stations power the last mile of Amazon’s order process and help speed up deliveries for customers. Packages are shipped to a Delivery Station from neighboring Amazon Fulfillment and Sortation Centers, loaded into delivery vehicles and delivered to customers.

“The choice of Pender Commerce Park by this iconic global company will bring economic diversification, local tax revenues and mobile career opportunities to Pender County and beyond,” said David Piepmeyer, Chairman of the Pender County Board of Commissioners. “It’s a major win for our community and further underscores just how transformative Pender Commerce Park has been for the region’s economy.”

Amazon is the latest in a string of companies to develop new facilities at Pender Commerce Park. The +450 acre industrial property welcomed its first tenant in 2013 -- Acme Smoked Fish. Since then, Empire Distributors, FedEx Freight, Coastal Beverage, Pender Commerce Partners 1 LLC and Polyhose have constructed facilities there. RL Cold, a division of RealtyLink, and Ramm Capital Partners have started work on significant industrial footprints in the park as well. Equipped with the latest utility infrastructure, Pender Commerce Park is located on U.S. Highway 421, just three miles from I-140 and 13 miles to the Port of Wilmington.

“In just over a decade, Pender Commerce Park has gone from a dream to a reality that now includes some of the world’s most successful companies,” said Scott Satterfield, Chief Executive Officer at Wilmington Business Development. “Today’s announcement by Amazon keeps that momentum going, and WBD appreciates the commitment the company is making to Greater Wilmington’s economy and workforce.”

A $110 million expansion to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center is expected to create the equivalent of more than 185 jobs. It will add 100 beds to the hospital’s capacity and two new floors to the top of its existing five-story Valley Pavilion, according to a statement released by Cape Fear Valley Health. The medical center is the health system’s flagship hospital.

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Indiana-based Metronet, a leading 100 percent fiber optic internet provider, officially launched its network in Fayetteville at a press conference today. This world-class infrastructure will enhance the capabilities and competitiveness of our region’s businesses and residents.

“Our future-proof network has proven valuable to the cities we partner with, and we are excited to bring that opportunity to Fayetteville,” said Dave Heimbach, Metronet President and Chief Operating Officer. “Metronet is proud to support the CORE Innovation Center by providing 1 Gigabit of upload and download speeds for the next five years. Our services will allow local entrepreneurs to kick-start their businesses and promote further economic growth for the city."

The celebratory ‘lighting” of the Cumberland County network took place at the CORE Innovation Center adjacent to FCEDC Offices. The CORE is a unique military and technology focused accelerator offering rentable private offices, demonstration space, conference rooms and a rooftop reception space, overlooking downtown Fayetteville. In support of innovation and entrepreneurship, Metronet has donated their ultra-high-speed, 100 percent fiber optic internet service to the CORE, and is one of the dozen business members operating in the center.

“Advanced world-class internet access is an essential component of innovation. This connectivity is crucial for military and technological innovation, which the CORE accelerator space was developed to support,” said North Carolina Representative John Szoka. “We are thankful that Metronet is now delivering gigabit speeds to drive digital transformation within our local community, boosting the efficiency of our businesses and the productivity of our people.”

Currently under construction, when complete, Metronet’s network will cover much of Cumberland County, including Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Linden, Wade, Stedman, Godwin, Eastover, Falcon, and Spring Lake. This build-out will also provide service to portions of Hoke County, such as the communities of Raeford and Rockfish.

Cumberland County Commission Chairman Glenn Adams shared, “More than ever, our citizens are relying on fast internet to work, learn and engage. Deploying a high-speed and affordable telecommunications service is critical to help bridge the digital divide.”

“Study after study has found that access to advanced data infrastructure positively impacts education, economic mobility, and health,” stated North Carolina Senator Kirk deViere.

“Affordable access to broadband technology has the potential to create opportunities and change lives. Metronet’s telecommunications services expand access to unserved and underserved areas of our community, and we are thankful to everyone spearheading this effort.”

Announced in January of 2021, construction began in March of 2021 and will include installation of fiber optic infrastructure to all applicable service areas, facilitating network access. Metronet expects that all planned areas will receive access within two years, with customers in initial construction areas now eligible for Metronet services. Those who would like to learn more about the construction process can visit construction.metronetinc.com to see the progress throughout their community.

“Metronet’s infrastructure is a vital advancement for our community,” said City of Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin. “We’re thrilled to become the next ‘Gigabit City.’ We also need to thank the Fayetteville Public Works Commission for their active collaboration and support in facilitating the construction process. We are grateful that Metronet chose Fayetteville and Cumberland County for their first North Carolina deployment and welcome them to our community.”

Metronet is currently hiring for several positions in sales and operations to support the services in Cumberland County. Individuals who are interested in joining the Metronet team can visit metronetinc.com/careers to search open positions and submit applications.

MegaCorp Logistics, one of America’s top freight brokerage firms, will launch an expansion to its Wilmington operations over the next five years, growing its workforce by 300 jobs, company officials announced today. “We have a presence and opportunity to expand in multiple markets, but our commitment to Wilmington is steadfast,” said Ryan Legg, MegaCorp’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our partnership with Wilmington Business Development specifically helped to reaffirm the decision and navigate the process at the local level. We are excited to continue our growth trajectory here at home.”
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Pinehurst’s Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting announced it plans to add another 70-100 employees in 2022, adding to the 140 employed now. In anticipation of the expansion, the company recently purchased a purchased a small office facility in Aberdeen for $715,000. The company helps veterans maximize the amount of benefits they receive.
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California-based Fortuna BMC, Inc., an IT and business consulting company, is expanding to Cumberland County, creating 50 remote call center jobs. "We are eager to select Fayetteville for our expansion on the East Coast due to its proximity and connection to Fort Bragg, the largest military installation in the United States by population," said Jack Smith, CEO and founder of Fortuna BMC. "After our recent visit to Fayetteville, we are fully convinced that this is a welcoming community for organizations like Fortuna BMC that are passionate about connecting the military community to great job opportunities post-service."
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Champion Home Builders, Inc. has selected Robeson County as the location of a manufactured housing production facility that plans to employ approximately 385 workers in the Town of Pembroke. The company, a subsidiary of Skyline Champion Corporation, one of the largest homebuilders in North America, plans to invest up to $13.2 million at the location of the former Fleetwood Building in Pembroke.

“Champion Homes considered several possible locations for this investment prior to making our choice Robeson County,” said Wade Lyall, EVP Sales and Business Development. “In Pembroke we found a site that met our facility needs, had access to strong workforce assets and was capable of serving a growing regional housing market. We are appreciative of North Carolina’s leaders who were willing to work closely with Champion to address our objectives for this expansion. We are excited about this opportunity in Robeson County and look forward to expanding our offerings to the community.”

Skyline Champion Corporation, the parent company of Champion Home Builders, Inc., is the largest independent, publicly traded, factory-built housing company in North America and employs approximately 8,100 people. With almost 70 years of homebuilding experience and 40 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and western Canada, Skyline Champion is well positioned with a leading portfolio of manufactured and modular homes, ADUs, park-models and modular buildings for the single-family and multi-family sectors.

“The Town of Pembroke is very excited to have Champion moving to the previous Fleetwood Industrial site,” said Pembroke Mayor Gregory Cummings. “Our community lost close to 600 jobs and a tremendous tax base when Fleetwood closed. This will be a great plus for the future of Pembroke and Robeson County.”

Faline Dial, District 4 Commissioner, said the economic impact of the estimated 385 new jobs, which would come with an annual pay averaging $42,922, will be significant for the county. “It further illustrates our ability to provide a qualified workforce,” Dial said. “Partnering with growing companies such as Champion will further strengthen our county’s workforce and the overall quality of life of our citizens.”

Recruiting Champion to Pembroke called for a team effort across local, state, and regional organizations. “We’ve always relied on terrific partners to win new business and grow jobs, but this project called for an especially long list of allies and advocates,” said Channing Jones, executive director of Robeson County’s Office of Economic Development. County and town officials worked with Robeson Community College, Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation, the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority, the Robeson County Committee of 100, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and the North Carolina Department of Commerce in landing the project. “Our key regional partners at NC’s Southeast also were instrumental in nurturing this exciting opportunity for Robeson County,” Jones said. With the collaborative effort of this team, Champion will receive $1 million in CDBG Building Reuse funds to renovate the property to their needs, as well as $519,000 in training dollars through the NC Community College System’s Customized Training Program, and $300,000 in Sales Tax Exemption from NC Department of Revenue.

NC’s Southeast markets the region nationally and globally, while also providing technical assistance to the 18-county southeast region. “The arrival of Champion adds obvious value in terms of direct job-creation and capital investment but could also generate new operational benefits for the region’s manufacturing economy, which includes a number of major names in consumer goods,” according to Steve Yost, President of NC’s Southeast.

Jeff Etheridge, chairman of NC’s Southeast, says the collaboration that resulted in the arrival of Champion is part of a tradition of regional partnership that traces its roots to the organization’s founding in 1994. “Trends come and go in business, but one constant that has withstood the test of time is the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that bind public and private leaders here at the local, state and regional levels,” Etheridge says. “Leadership matters in any kind of economic cycle, and it is what has always set NC’s Southeast apart.”

Mt. Olive Pickle Company will open two facilities in Goldsboro. The company will invest more than $35 million in an expansion, which will create 167 jobs in Wayne County. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of nearly $7 million for the region.

Amazon plans to construct a 1.3 million-square-foot fulfillment facility in Fayetteville’s Military Business Park, which could employ more than 500 full-time jobs and hundreds of other part-time roles. The warehousing facility will be located on 94 acres and is projected to launch operations in 2023.

Wilmington-based NC BIONEER Venture Challenge will go statewide this year with regional offices in Eastern, Greater Charlotte, Piedmont Triad, Southeastern and Western North Carolina. The entrepreneurship program helps foster growth among finalists through funding, mentorship and other perks. It was launched by the N.C. Biotechnology Center Southeastern Office and UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2020. Read More

Pennsylvania-based West Pharmaceutical will expand its presence in Kinston through a $70 million investment, a move expected to add more than 70 people to the current workforce of 500. The expansion will add warehouse and distribution space as well as increasing production value. It’s expected to have a $3.4 million impact through payroll jobs each year. Read More

Dear North Carolina’s Southeast Supporters & Allies,

I’m pleased to announce that Phillip Shumaker, currently an Existing Industry Expansions Manager with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), will join the team of North Carolina’s Southeast as Director of Business & Economic Development. He will start February 1.

Phillip is well-known to most in the NC’s Southeast region. Since 2017, he has served companies and communities in the Sandhills Prosperity Zone, which encompasses nine of our region’s 18 counties. He has been a member of our Local Developer Advisory Group (LDAG) and his tenure at EDPNC has included support for job creation and capital investment at Campbell’s Soup, Black’s Tire, American Wood Fiber, Meritor, Stevens Roberts Original Desserts, and other major employers growing their operations in the region.

“EDPNC has been an invaluable conduit into economic development,” Phillip says. “The organization allowed me to do something new, and I’m appreciative of that opportunity.” He looks forward to building on that experience as he embarks on new avenues at NC’s Southeast. “I’ve wanted to gain more exposure to the recruiting side and the marketing side, and this was the opportunity to do that,” he says.

A Pinehurst resident, Phillip brings a diverse professional background that includes marketing work for a defense contractor and management of a family real estate portfolio. From 2009 to 2013, he served Active Duty in the U.S. Air Force, where he developed expertise in meteorology and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSGT). Phillip grew up in Charles County, Maryland but has deep North Carolina roots in both Moore and Alamance Counties. As a youth he regularly visited his great grandmother in Robbins. A scholarship took him to High Point University, where he earned a B.S. degree in management and a minor in management information systems in 2006. He also holds an MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill.

Phillip is a proud new father. His wife, Katie, gave birth to a son on November 30. Katie is an executive assistant at St. Joseph’s of the Pines in Moore County. His free time includes hunting, woodworking, and golf.

“I know our investors, allies and partners join me in enthusiastically welcoming Phillip to our team,” said NC’S Southeast Chairman Jeff Etheridge. “He has the skills, knowledge and energy to navigate a steady course for our marketing and economic development programs, and to articulate the region’s value proposition to audiences everywhere.”

On behalf of our entire team and board, I extend my congratulations and thanks to Phillip upon accepting this exciting new challenge!

Yours sincerely,

Steve Yost
President

Sampson County officials announced today that Montauk Ag Renewables, LLC (the “Company”), a subsidiary of publicly traded Montauk Renewables, Inc. has chosen to open a facility in the county. The Company will locate off Highway 24 in the former Bay Valley Foods Distribution Center in Turkey, NC with a facility named, Turkey Creek Ag, LLC.

Montauk Renewables, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTK) is a renewable energy company specializing in the management, recovery and conversion of biogas into RNG. Montauk Ag Renewables, LLC is its subsidiary which plans to utilize its patented technology, for the conversion of agricultural residuals into renewable energy, including swine waste and other biomass associated with the swine growing process.

Montauk Ag Renewables’ President, Joe Carroll, stated, “We are very excited to be working to open a facility in Sampson County and believe it’s a great place for our business to take the next step in our development. We look forward to working with the County, and the great people living there, to offer quality, stable jobs, while working to positively impact the environment.”

The Company’s anticipated products and services offerings include swine waste removal, lagoon maintenance, and spray field cover crop management. Montauk expects to use the Turkey Creek facility to enable them to seek to enact a plan of conversion of animal-agriculture-waste to Renewable Natural Gas, and, with a goal of reformulating renewable energy residuals into other a potential organic, pathogen-free, soil supplements and chemical fertilizer alternative renewable energy products.

The Company anticipates a five-year process for the Turkey Creek facility to become fully operational with expectations to hire 70 new team members over that time period for positions that include salaried positions with Company benefits. The positions are likely to include multiple managerial roles, administrative positions, mechanics and technicians, equipment operators, farm hands, truck drivers, and lab technicians.

Sampson County Commissioner Clark Wooten expressed his gratitude stating, “Montauk Ag Renewables will complement the strong concentration of agriculture and manufacturing companies in Sampson County and across the region. The county is grateful that Montauk Ag Renewables chose Sampson County as one of their renewable energy facilities across the country.”

Steve Yost, President of NC’s Southeast, also noted the company’s compatibility with the industries in the county and region commenting, “Montauk Ag Renewables aligns well with our growing renewable energy cluster across Southeast, North Carolina. We look forward to supporting Sampson County’s continued economic development successes and promoting our 18-county region as a place of choice to do business.”

Sampson County Economic Development’s (EDC) business attraction and recruitment activities and successes reflect our collaboration with local, regional, and state economic and workforce development partners and education and training professionals including, but not limited to: North Carolina’s Southeast (NCSE), Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), Sampson Community College, NCWorks Career Center, NC Commerce Rural Economic Development, and NC Commerce Workforce Solutions. .

American Complete Organics Recycling announced plans to locate its first North Carolina facility in Scotland County and has committed to invest $6 million over five years including the hiring of 43 fulltime jobs.

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Hundreds of manufacturing jobs paying an average minimum wage of some $45,000 are headed to Kinston. MasterBrand Cabinets is going to invest some $13.75 million to expand its current operations in the Lenoir County city. Some 464 jobs are planned.

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Hosokawa Custom Processing Services will create 16 new jobs in Wayne County, says Governor Roy Cooper. The contract chemical processor will invest $6.5 million to relocate a processing center to Goldsboro. A performance-based grant of $50,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Hosokawa’s location to North Carolina.
 

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The Wilmington International Airport announced that two companies, CIL Capital, LLC and Edgewater Ventures, have each selected the ILM Business Park as the location of their strategic business investment and development. The ILM Business Park, which encompasses 140 acres on airport property, has foreign trade zone status, access to Customs, close proximity to major highways, rail, Port, and an airfield, and is minutes to downtown Wilmington. CIL Capital, LLC, has signed a long-term ground lease for development of a 500,000 square foot storage and distribution facility for the Life Sciences industry. Edgewater Ventures has signed a long-term ground lease of approximately 30 acres with plans to develop a three-building Class A speculative industrial development that will total over 540,000 square feet.

The ILM Business Park, which encompasses 140 acres on airport property, has foreign trade zone status, access to Customs, close proximity to major highways, rail, Port, and an airfield, and is minutes to downtown Wilmington.

“Each of these projects has involved months of hard work from all parties involved, including the Airport Authority and staff, New Hanover County, Wilmington Business Development and representatives from each company, and I want to express my sincere appreciation for the steadfast dedication and cooperation that was employed to bring these projects to fruition. We are so proud CIL Capital and Edgewater Ventures have chosen to invest in the ILM Business Park,” stated Donna Girardot, Chairman of the New Hanover County Airport Authority. “The Wilmington International Airport has a $2.2 Billion economic impact on our region, supports 16,385 jobs, and generates $85 million in tax revenue. Our ILM Business Park, and the addition of CIL Capital and Edgewater Ventures, will bring significant investment, diverse and higher wage jobs, and further our airport as an economic engine in the region. We are committed to ongoing partnerships that support our community’s growth and prosperity, now and in the future,” Girardot shared.

“These two projects will bring a total of $120 million in investments to our county and will grow our tax base, increase jobs, and enhance economic development opportunities for our region,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Julia Olson-Boseman. “CIL Capital and Edgewater Ventures chose New Hanover County and our ILM Business Park because of the possibilities it provides. Access to the airport, proximity to the Port of Wilmington, strong and expanding infrastructure, supportive partnerships, and a community committed to smart growth all make this a prime location. This is an exciting day, and I look forward to the progress these projects will bring.”

New York-headquartered Suzy, a market research firm with a focus on technology, announced it is bringing dozens of jobs with an average annual salary of $120,000 to its new tech hub in downtown Wilmington. The tech hub is expected to open in November.
 

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Fayetteville/Cumberland County Economic Development won a Bronze Rank for Economic Development Organization (EDO) of the Year in IEDC’s 2021 Excellence in Economic Development Awards. The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a global membership organization of more than 5,000 professionals working to enhance quality of life, job growth, and economic prosperity across their communities. Winners were announced at IEDC’s Annual Conference on Wednesday, October 6, in Nashville.

FCEDC was recognized for its aggressive community promotion, leadership, and international development strategies. IEDC acknowledged FCEDC’s recent development wins totaling more than $253M in capital investment and 2,264 jobs; creation of the Global SOF Communities of Excellence alliance; and national public relations partnership that recently won the community more than $1.8M in ad equivalency. The team was specifically lauded for facilitating the creation and launch of the Can Do Carolinacommunity-wide branding initiative.

“Our team is honored to be recognized for the work we are doing and are grateful for the funding and support we receive from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, our Board of Directors, and partners. We are proud to see our community’s efforts acknowledged by the world’s premier economic and community development organization, IEDC,” said FCEDC President & CEO, Robert Van Geons, CEcD.

Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers from around the world, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received over 500 submissions from four countries.

“The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day,” said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara, President and CEO, Tom Kucharski. “We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life.”

The Pamlico Air filtration manufacturing company plans to add about 250 jobs and invest an additional $6.6 million in Goldsboro because of strong demand for its products. CEO Harry Smith made the announcement at an event celebrating the company’s Wayne County plant. 

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Despite the supply chain issues and other problems caused by the pandemic, the Port of Wilmington reported an increase in several key indicators. Container volume increased 2% compared with the previous year and the port set a record for total container volume handled in a single year. The ports of Wilmington and Morehead City handled 3.2 million tons of general cargo in the year ended June 30.

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A developer is planning to add cold storage warehouse space on property near the Port of Wilmington. Cold Summit Development looks to bring nearly 460,000 square feet of cold storage space in two buildings to property owned by the port off Raleigh Street, officials with N.C. Ports announced this week.

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The pandemic may have disrupted much of the world’s economy, but North Carolina’s Southeast enjoyed its best year ever in terms of businesses bringing new investments in the region. Thirteen companies across diverse industry segments unveiled plans to invest a total of $153.6 million in the Southeast Region, creating 1,291 announced new jobs.

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Global manufacturer of household appliance components, Grupporeco, will create 110 new jobs in Lenoir County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $28 million to build its first manufacturing facility for dishwasher components in North America.

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National Developer Investing Significantly in Port Regions August 2, 2021 (Wilmington, N.C.) – A commercial real estate developer plans to build a state-of-the-art cold storage facility at Pender Commerce Park. RealtyLink, a privately-held full-service real estate development company, will construct as much as 300,000-sq.-ft. of refrigerated warehouse space that will serve a third-party logistics tenant. Greater Wilmington is among five port regions where the Greenville, S.C.-based firm is building cold storage facilities. “We welcome this game-changing addition to ...

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Two more regional business entities are lending their technical, financial and leadership support to the mission of North Carolina’s Southeast. Alliance Consulting Engineers and Gulf & Ohio Railway recently joined the organization’s growing list of investors.

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Metal Specialist, a North Carolina-based fabricator of metal roofing products, will create 33 new jobs in Duplin County. The company will invest more than $2.9 million to build a new headquarters operations and manufacturing facility in the Southpark Industrial Park of the Town of Wallace. Average annual salary for these new positions is $40,213 creating a potential annual payroll impact of $1.3 million.

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Elkay Manufacturing, a leading producer of sinks and water delivery products, will expand its operations in Robeson County, leading to the creation of 20 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced. The company will invest $5.5 million in a facility in Lumberton, becoming the first tenant in the Lumberton/Robeson County I-95/I-74 Industrial Park. The company’s new jobs will yield an average salary of $48,960, although actual wages will vary by position.

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Precision Swiss Products, Inc. a manufacturer of high precision component parts, will create 125 new jobs in Brunswick County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $9.3 million to locate its headquarters and manufacturing facility to the International Logistics Park shared by Brunswick and Columbus counties.

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The former Brooks Brothers building in Garland, in Sampson County, has been acquired by Cayenne Acquisitions, which will lease it to the Garland Apparel Group. Garland Apparel plans to manufacture dress shirts, military clothing and PPE. Plans will be to hire more than 100 people. Brooks Brothers filed for bankruptcy and closed its plant in 2020, laying off 150 people. This is great news for this small community. Congrats to the Sampson County Economic Development Commission for its work on this project and during the entire process.

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Triple Impact Connections, a veteran-owned customer service center using Cloud-based technology to connect its client companies with their customers, announced a new facility in Fayetteville and has more than 70 immediate openings for remote work. With headquarters in Killeen, Texas, home to U.S. Army Base Fort Hood, the company focuses on hiring military spouses to support the Armed Forces community.

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Aeronautical Systems Incorporated (ASI), a world class provider of engineering, manufacturing and MRO services for military platforms, will create 30 new jobs in Craven County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $5.6 million to expand its manufacturing footprint in New Bern.

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White River Marine Group, LLC, a leading manufacturer of recreational boats, will open a manufacturing facility in Craven County, with a target of 500 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will make a significant investment in New Bern, creating its first coastal manufacturing site and adding Hatteras to its portfolio of well-known brands.

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May 18, 2021 (Elizabethtown, N.C. and Kenansville, N.C). eGourmet Solutions, a national logistics company specializing in the fulfillment of temperature-sensitive products such as refrigerated and frozen foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, will invest more than $767,000 in expanding its existing Duplin County location into an East Coast operations hub. It will create 40 jobs in Wallace over the coming four years.

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North Carolina’s Southeast would like to congratulate the following board members and allies for being named to Business North Carolina’s Power List 2021 – NC’s Most Influential Leaders!
Brenda Daniels (ElectriCities & NCSE board member)
John Nelms (Duke Energy & NCSE board member)
Robert Van Geons (Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corp & Vice-Chair of NCSE Local Developers Advisory Group)
Chris Chung (Economic Development Partnership of NC)
Brian Clark (NC Ports)
Ryan Nance (NC Electric Cooperatives)
Bo Biggs (Chair, Golden Leaf Foundation)
Scott Hamilton (President, Golden Leaf Foundation)
Patrick Woodie (President, NC Rural Center)
Steve Yost (President, NC’s Southeast)








 

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E-commerce giant Amazon has announced plans to create “hundreds” of jobs by launching a new delivery station in Fayetteville. The facility will pay a starting wage of $15 per hour and will offer “a variety of benefits on the first day of employment,” according to Amazon, which added that there are currently eight Amazon delivery stations in North Carolina.

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In March, N.C. Ports reported a record in the number of containers going through Wilmington in a single month. The Port of Wilmington saw a total of 18,782 TEUs in March, a 10% jump from the previous record of 17,114 TEUs in March 2018. Recent figures indicate a boost in port activity in total container volume, intermodal rail volume, as well as loaded refrigerated container volume.

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Economic growth in Charlotte and the Triangle, even in a pandemic, clicks along with a continuing string of expansions and relocations. Getting things moving in smaller, more remote counties is where the challenge really lies.

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Partners in Progress, the economic development organization of Moore County, recruited Natalie Dean Hawkins as executive director. Hawkins has served as the assistant village manager of Pinehurst since 2005 and resided in Moore County since 1995. She will succeed Pat Corso, who is stepping down in May

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Pipeline Plastics Holdings, LLC, a leading manufacturer of high-performance industrial pipeline systems, will create 44 new jobs in Columbus County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $4.6 million in a new production facility in Fair Bluff.

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Pat Corso, a longtime leader in Moore County’s business community, was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, conferred by the Governor of North Carolina. The honor recognized his service and accomplishments in the state and the Sandhills for the last 35 years. He is credited with boosting Pinehurst Resort’s notoriety and its No. 2 course as one of the top-rated golf courses in North Carolina.

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New Bern, in Craven County, was recognized by Southern Living magazine as one of 11 small Southern towns to visit in 2021. “Situated where the Neuse and Trent Rivers converge, this waterfront getaway is best recognized for its two most legendary landmarks: Tryon Palace and gardens (North Carolina’s first permanent capitol) and Bradham’s Drug Store (the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola),” the magazine noted. The city was also praised for its resilience through Hurricanes Florence and Dorian.

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North Carolina’s Southeast recently announced that Marketing Project Manager Megan Sellers has been awarded a Master Economic Development Practitioner (MEDP) certificate from the Advanced Economic Development Leadership (AEDL) executive education program. “I am honored to have obtained this certification and thankful for North Carolina’s Southeast commitment to profession development. It was truly a valuable learning...

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North Carolina's Southeast (NCSE) has forged a unique partnership with Truist Foundation and the Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation (ATMC) to provide students and others in rural Southeastern communities with ready access to Internet hot spots. The Southeastern Partnership II, NCSE’s tax-exempt sister organization, obtained a $25,000 award from the Truist Foundation to enable ATMC to install drive-up hot spots at public schools in Columbus Counties.

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Cumberland County commissioners approved economic-development incentives aimed at retaining a Cargill soybean processing plant that employs 70 and a potential new employer that may add 75 jobs. Agricultural giant Cargill may expand its Cumberland site and invest more than $25 million while retaining at least 70 jobs paying $70,000 or more per year. The county is offering a $595,000 grant. The second unnamed company is considering a new production plant with an incentive of as much as $60,000.

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The new flight, which commenced this morning, connects Fayetteville travelers to 79 new destinations through Dallas-Fort Worth, the fourth largest metropolitan in the country.

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Governor Roy Cooper announced $282 million in loans and grants to help pay for 94 drinking water and wastewater projects statewide, including in counties in North Carolina’s Southeast region.

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Dogwood State Bank, which operates in Raleigh, Charlotte, Wilmington, Greenville and Morehead City, raised $28 million with a plan to expand in Fayetteville. Dogwood is hiring a group of former Wells Fargo employees in Fayetteville, adding to its 110 current employees.

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More than 130 new jobs are coming to Kinston. The Crown Equipment Corporation, a global forklift manufacturer, is expanding its manufacturing operations in Lenoir County and investing up to $13 million in the expansion. The new positions will include assemblers, engineers, machine operators, and support staff.

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Cardinal Foods LLC, an agribusiness company that provides farm-harvested products and services across the eastern United States, will create 48 new jobs as part of a $15.5 million expansion at its Pender County operations. The project will double the company’s current workforce.

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North Carolina's Southeast, an 18-county regional economic development organization headquartered in Elizabethtown, has recently released its three-year strategic plan.

The North Carolina’s Southeast Strategic Plan 2021-2024 serves as a roadmap for the organization's work over the next three years, including work in the Wilmington micro-region of New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Columbus counties.

Within that plan are regional economic growth goals of helping generate 1,350 new jobs, $270 million in investment, and attract 18 companies to the 18-county region, according to the plan.


 

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Competitive Positioning Analysis Evaluates Trends that Inform the Region’s Three-Year Strategy
Global economic and political trends could result in new jobs and investment for Southeastern North Carolina’s leading industries once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, a recent report by consultants at Economic Leadership LLC concludes. The report, North Carolina’s Southeast Competitive Positioning 2020, is a comprehensive analysis of the 18-county region’s economic landscape, workforce characteristics, industrial product, marketing strategies, and more.

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Steven Roberts Original Desserts, located in Robeson County, recently announced an expansion of its food manufacturing facility in Pembroke. It plans to invest $4.5M and hire 100 new employees, which will add to the several hundred it already employs. Congratulations to Channing Jones and the Robeson County EDC on this company’s growth. The company makes desserts for various restaurant chains like Olive Garden and Starbucks. It was known as Project Fondant on our Active Projects Report. NC’s Southeast originally generated this company location through its marketing program in 2011.

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Four Wilmington companies are the finalists of the inaugural NC BIONEER Venture Challenge aimed at enhancing life sciences and biotechnology business ventures in the region, according to an announcement Thursday. Accugenomics, Electronic Lab Logs, IndiOmics and Isosceles Pharmaceuticals were selected to participate in a two-month process of “intense mentoring,” stated a news release. 

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Plans submitted to the City of Wilmington show another building is planned for nCino’s new headquarters location in the city. The 90,000-square-foot building suggests the 700-employee financial-technology company plans to continue to grow, and quickly. The company is also building 640-space parking deck behind its property.

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Cape Fear Valley Health broke ground last week on a $30 million medical education building that will tighten the Fayetteville hospital's ties with the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine. The five-story, 120,000-square-foot building will be home for the hospital's medical residency program, a partnership with Campbell that will help attract as many as 300 residents a year to a region that faces an increasing shortage of providers, officials say. It will also house a new Neuroscience Institute to study and treat related disorders and illnesses.

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North Carolina Ports received approval on Jan. 12, 2021, from the North Carolina Council of State for a land lease to develop an agricultural transload facility on the Port of Wilmington. Council of State approved the long-term lease for Scoular to develop an at-port facility that will receive, store, and load agricultural products.

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A new partnership will bring a development to the Port of Wilmington that will help support the state's agricultural business, the N.C. State Ports Authority announced Tuesday. The authority is expanding capabilities through a venture with Omaha, Nebraska-based Scoular, which will build an agricultural transload facility slated for completion this summer, officials said in a news release.

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MetroNet and the City of Fayetteville will bring 100% fiber optic internet, television and phone services to businesses and residents in the Fayetteville region, marking MetroNet's first deployment in North Carolina. Indiana-based MetroNet will spend more than $70 million on the project, which will service Fayetteville, the towns of Hope Mills, Linden, Wade, Stedman, Godwin, Eastover, Falcon, Spring Lake, Vander and much of unincorporated Cumberland County, as well as portions of Hoke County, such as the communities of Raeford and Rockfish.

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Alcami Corp., a pharmaceutical company, will invest $2 million in its Wilmington facility to expand its manufacturing capabilities. The work will expand the 140,000-square-foot campus. It is expected to be complete by the second half of this year. The company continues to grow and add jobs in the area. Alcami currently has 21 open positions in the Wilmington area, said marketing manager Michael Walsh.

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Sanctuary Systems, a developer and marketer of fiber technology and nonwoven materials, will create 118 jobs at a new facility in the Town of Fremont, local officials said Thursday. The project brings Wayne County a capital investment of $4.9 million. Among Sanctuary’s products are high-quality face coverings and other personal protective equipment (PPE).

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Huvepharma, Inc., a global biomanufacturer, will expand its poultry vaccine plant in Scotland County, Governor Roy Cooper announced. The company will invest $1.9 million and add 10 new jobs as it expands its Maxton facility to include more manufacturing and warehouse space.

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The expansion of Craven County Industrial Park took another step forward this week with the approval of the sale of property for the construction of a shell building similar to one developed and purchased last year.

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The Fayetteville Cumberland Collaborative Branding Committee unveiled its new brand campaign, “Can Do Carolina.” Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, said the slogan promotes the area as an ideal place to live and work. The project also involves the city and county, arts council, chamber, convention & visitors bureau and the Cool Spring Downtown District.

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The North Carolina Department of Commerce released the county tier designations for 2021. Twenty-two counties will change tier designations for 2021. Onslow County in NC’s Southeast Region is moving to a less-distressed tier ranking. Counties moving to a more-distressed tier ranking include Brunswick and New Hanover.

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The Craven 100 Alliance (C1A), in partnership with the Havelock Regional Development Corporation (HRDC), are pleased to announce the extension of broadband internet services in the Havelock Industrial Park, located on Outer Banks Drive, Havelock, North Carolina, off Hwy 101 near MCAS Cherry Point.

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American Wood Fibers, Inc., a specialty forest products supplier, has selected Scotland County for a new manufacturing site and will create 51 jobs.  The company will invest $19.5 million to add new capabilities to a facility previous operated by Nature’s Earth Pellets in Laurinburg.

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NC’s Southeast was proud to play a strong collaborative role as a partner in the project. It was known as Project Woodpecker on our Active Projects Report. USGA will invest $36 million and hire more than 50 people. “Golf House Pinehurst," as USGA’s NC facility will be called, will consist of a Research & Testing Center, administrative operations, and a visitor center and museum. The Governor and the Legislature developed economic development incentive legislation for the project, which was approved late last week. Congratulations to Pat Corso and Moore County Partners in Progress in landing this project.

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North Carolina ranks as the nation’s top state business climate in 2020 in a two-way tie with Georgia, according to Site Selection magazine. North Carolina held the No. 2 spot in the magazine’s annual business climates study for five straight years before rising to the top spot this year.

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Winston-Salem-based Pender Commerce Partners 1 LLC is now in the process of acquiring additional land at Pender Commerce Park in Wilmington to develop its second speculative industrial building there in two years.
 

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GEER scholarships, called Viking Works at Sampson Community College, are available to all Workforce Development and Continuing Education students who have been affected by COVID-19 in any way and are enrolled in a class or pathway that is at least 96 hours or more and leads to a credential in one of the following ten programs of study: Automotive, Aircraft Maintenance, Construction, Criminal Justice, EMS, Healthcare, Industrial/Manufacturing, Information Technology, Transportation, and Fire and Rescue Services. Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education, Amanda Bradshaw, says the Viking Works funds will be instrumental in allowing students the opportunity to pursue short-term workforce training without the worry of cost.

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The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 16 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,511,075, Governor Roy Cooper announced. Three grant recipients are in North Carolina’s Southeast Region:

• Robeson County: A $350,000 grant will support the reuse of a 63,000-square-foot building in Red Springs. Serioplast US LLC, a global manufacturer of plastic packaging for the consumer goods industry, plans to locate operations at the facility. The overall project is set to create 46 new jobs with an investment of $9.42 million, while 31 jobs and a $9,367,500 investment are tied to this grant.
• Brunswick County: A $100,000 grant will support the development of a site in Navassa. Adding this infrastructure will facilitate a project in which the company plans to create 17 jobs and invest $150,000.
• Lenoir County: A $500,000 grant will help the County provide industrial access at the NC Global TransPark.

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The average registered apprenticeship program in North Carolina yields a 170% return on investment for the employer, according to a new survey. For every $1 invested in apprentices, employers receive an average of $1.70 in additional value, the survey conducted by the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Labor & Economic Analysis Division found.

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While Cumberland County is well known for its long-standing military history as home to the U.S. Army’s Special Forces Command and Fort Bragg installation, the region is well-positioned as a strong contender for business investment, talent attraction and job opportunities across a range of sectors.

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Southeastern Community College and community leaders cut the ribbon Wednesday on the long-awaited Advanced Manufacturing Training Center being touted as a tool to help attract and retain industrial employers to Columbus County.

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Construction is expected to begin this fall on the first facility inside the International Logistics Park of North Carolina (ILP) on the Columbus-Brunswick county line.

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Leading site consultants once again rank North Carolina among the top five states in the nation for doing business, according to an Area Development magazine survey.

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Live Oak Bank announced Tuesday a building coming to downtown Wilmington that will house Live Oak officials as well as other businesses. Officials say the building, which could potentially evolve into a campus, would be an investment into the downtown area and could be used from job-training opportunities.

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The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 18 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,847,243, including for projects in Columbus, Lenoir, Onslow and Robeson counties.

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People living and working in 11 rural counties will get expanded high-speed internet service thanks to more than $12 million in grants awarded by Governor Roy Cooper’s administration. Columbus, Duplin and Robeson counties are among the grant recipients.

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The NC Community College System is the recipient of a 2019-20 Innovation of the Year Award for a program that promotes science careers by connecting middle school students to community colleges.

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The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently announced that the Fayetteville metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has been expanded to include Harnett County. Originally comprised of Cumberland and Hoke Counties, this change has increased the total Fayetteville MSA population to 526,719, up by nearly 30%. According to the U.S Census, Fayetteville is now ranked as the 108th largest MSA in the U.S.

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The University of North Carolina at Pembroke will award a record 957 degrees to its largest graduating class in university history on Saturday, Aug. 8.

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Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in June. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced decreases. Statewide, the rate was 7.9 percent.

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Onslow County was in competition with other counties to bring Atlantic Seafood to Camp Davis and incentive packages approved by Onslow County and the town helped secure a $5.1 million investment in property taxes as well as 48 jobs with an average annual salary of $70,000. Sutherland said they are well-paying jobs at nearly double the county’s average salary of $29,000.

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Onslow County Commissioners helped officials at concrete manufacturer Crete Solutions LLC break ground for the company’s new Holly Ridge plant on July 27. The new building will provide seven new jobs and will boost Onslow County’s tax revenues.

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Craven Community College (Craven CC) is now offering training at the Volt Center to help fill immediate job openings at BSH Home Appliances Corporation. Offered through a partnership with Craven CC, NCWorks and BSH, this free training opportunity began July 9-10.

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North Carolina’s Southeast (NCSE), an economic development public-private partnership that markets an 18-county region, has launched a new marketing website www.ncse.org. The comprehensive website will build on NCSE’s national and global marketing to encourage the creation of new jobs, capital investment and economic growth in the southeast region. The website was developed in collaboration with 365 Degree Total Marketing, a full-service marketing agency.

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Global packaging maker Serioplast US LLC will establish production operations in Red Springs in a project that will create 46 new jobs in Robeson County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company, which manufacturers rigid plastic packaging for a wide variety of consumer goods, plans to invest $9.42 million in its new North Carolina presence.

“New jobs like these demonstrate that North Carolina has a strong workforce and is open for business,” Governor Cooper said. “This investment by Serioplast, shows that our state remains is a good fit for global companies.”

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Anthem Displays LLC, a national manufacturer of digital billboards, will create 17 jobs in Bladen County, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The project will generate a $3.6 million investment in Elizabethtown.

“North Carolina continues to attract new jobs in a wide range of industries,” said Governor Cooper. “Global companies like Anthem Displays see the potential of growing in southeastern North Carolina because of the strong workforce that is ready to get to work.”

Anthem Displays is an industry leader in state-of-the-art digital outdoor advertising displays and solutions. In 2018, Prismaflex International, a worldwide operator of direct-out-of-home advertising, took a minority stake in Anthem Displays. Anthem Displays provides digital display technology for advertising companies, including Lamar Advertising, globally and in all 50 U.S. states. Its Boulder, Colorado location will consolidate and relocate electronics and firmware operations to Elizabethtown, where the company currently employs nine workers in the design and manufacture of display frames.

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Four Wilmington companies are the finalists of the inaugural NC BIONEER Venture Challenge aimed at enhancing life sciences and biotechnology business ventures in the region, according to an announcement Thursday. Accugenomics, Electronic Lab Logs, IndiOmics and Isosceles Pharmaceuticals were selected to participate in a two-month process of “intense mentoring,” stated a news release. The competition, launched by N.C. Biotechnology Center Southeastern office and the University of North Carolina Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is a biotech-focused entrepreneurial initiative for Southeastern North Carolina that launched earlier this year.

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Pender Commerce Partners 1, LLC (Ramm Capital Partners, LLC and Taylor Development Group, LLC) will invest $8+ million in a 126,360-sq-ft. speculative building at the fast-growing Pender Commerce Park. The Winston-Salem-based developer closed on the 15-acre property today. The move comes around two months after Pender County joined officials from India's Polyhose in announcing plans for a 51-worker logistics and distribution operation at the park.

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A hemp products company headquartered in the Port City continues to expand, with research capabilities one of its latest additions.

Green Compass Inc., based in Wilmington with production and fulfillment facilities in Columbus County, has rented lab space at UNCW's Marine Biotechnology in North Carolina (MARBIONC) center.

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In Pender Commerce Park, developers are planning a building designed to be the first modern Class A industrial space for lease in the Wilmington region in over 10 years.

Pender Commerce Park Partners 1 LLC, a new entity formed for the development, released plans this week for the construction. Closing on the property is slated for late January, said Chris Ramm, managing part...

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