RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Global Textile Alliance Inc, a leading fabrics manufacturer, will expand its operations in Rockingham County. The company plans to create 55 jobs and invest $7.4 million over the next three years in Reidsville. The project was made possible in part by a $150,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. “North Carolina has a long and celebrated history in the textile industry,” said Gov. Perdue. “Manufacturers are expanding here because of our …
Category: Business
N.C. filmed motion pictures well received at Toronto film festival
Screenings of two Wilmington-made films at the Toronto International Film Festival delivered earlier this month, earning filmmakers standing ovations at packed premieres, producers said. Audience members at the premiere of “Arthur Newman,” which stars Oscar-winner Colin Firth and Emily Blunt, responded positively, while laughter and tears accompanied the debut of “Writers,” a dramatic comedy starring Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly. During the TIFF, Millennium Entertainment picked up U.S. distribution rights to “Writers.” Combined, the features had a direct in-state spend …
Best Dish in North Carolina builds farm-to-fork relationship in North Carolina restaurants
RALEIGH — Food lovers and locavores have until the end of September to sample entries for the Best Dish in North Carolina restaurant competition. The contest, sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Our State magazine, highlights the relationship between local farms and local chefs. Now, it’s not uncommon to see the name of at least one local farm, if not two or more, printed on a menu at your favorite restaurant. But the connection between …
N.C. receives Silver Shovel award
After receiving the accolade in 2009 and 2011, North Carolina was again recognized with Area Development‘s 2012 Silver Shovel award. The award is now displayed in the main office of the N.C. Department of Commerce. The economic development resource highlighted the state’s manufacturing industry, noting the impact it will have on expected economic growth in 2012. Projects from across North Carolina noted in Area Development represented aerospace, automotive, energy and other industries: Capgemini, Mecklenburg County, 550 jobs, $4.2 million investment: …
Perdue, Crisco leading state delegation to annual SEUS/Japan conference
Governor Bev Perdue and N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco have departed for Japan to lead a delegation to the high-profile Southeast U.S./Japan Annual Joint Meeting in Tokyo. While in Japan, Gov. Perdue and officials with the Commerce Department will also be meeting with export clients along with business prospects considering new investments. Sec. Crisco will travel to China following the SEUS/Japan conference for two days to recruit companies in Shanghai and other cities in Zhejiang Province. During the …
Federal grant to boost manufacturing in Eastern N.C
The N.C. Rural Economic Development Center and partnering organizations will launch an intensive effort this fall to stimulate manufacturing growth in a six-county region of Eastern North Carolina. The long-term project will focus on strengthening aerospace and automotive manufacturing in Lenoir, Greene, Wayne, Wilson, Edgecombe and Pitt counties. The Industrial Extension Service of N.C. State University and the N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center of the University of North Carolina System will partner with the Rural Center to provide …
National spotlight shines on North Carolina
With 35,000 delegates, dignitaries and media representatives as well as the eyes of the world converging on Charlotte for the 2012 Democratic National Convention last week, the N.C. Department of Commerce seized the opportunity to showcase the state’s assets as a travel destination and business location. On the evening of Sept. 5, Governor Bev Perdue hosted a reception for 90 business executives and other officials who were in Charlotte for the convention. The event highlighted the state’s many benefits as …
VGCC and Chambers announce Business Summit, seek sponsors
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, in partnership with the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County and the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, is planning a new event, and organizers are encouraging local businesses and organizations to join them. The “Business Summit,” entitled “Plugged-In, Productive & Profitable – The New Face of Business,” is scheduled to be held Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. in …
Sheetz Chooses Alamance County, N.C. for Distribution and Food Manufacturing Facility
RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Sheetz Inc., a large chain of convenience stores and gas stations, will establish a distribution and food manufacturing facility in Burlington. The company plans to create 254 jobs in North Carolina by the end of 2018, and invest more than $32.8 million in its Alamance County facility. The project was made possible in part by state grants from the Job Development Investment Grant and the One North Carolina Fund. “Companies like Sheetz …
Boat manufacturers meet in Lake Norman, promote recreational boating industry economic impact
Capitalizing on the high-powered politicians and others who will descend on the Charlotte area during the DNC, the National Marine Manufacturers Association is meeting in Lake Norman to raise awareness about how the recreational boating industry spurs economic development. “The goal is to expose our area to others who might not have seen it otherwise,” said Visit Lake Norman’s Marketing & Communications Manager Courtney Wolfrom, adding that the organization has recruited the boating association since October. “We’re thrilled to be …
Commerce touts N.C. to DNC visitors
With 35,000 delegates, dignitaries and media representatives as well as the eyes of the world converging on Charlotte for the 2012 Democratic National Convention next week, the N.C. Department of Commerce is seizing the opportunity to showcase the state’s assets as a travel destination and business location. “Attention will be fixed on Charlotte and North Carolina,” said Assistant Secretary for Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding Lynn Minges. “We want people to see beyond the headlines, appreciate the unique travel experiences …
Recovery act grants produce a more energy-efficient North Carolina
North Carolina is more energy-efficient than it was in 2009. Homes, schools, college campuses, businesses and government facilities are using less energy, saving on utility bills and generating more power from renewable sources as a result of grants distributed by the N.C. Energy Office and funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. North Carolinians can learn more about the impact of these initiatives at an updated website launched by the Energy Office, a division of the N.C. Department of …
BBC Travel highlights ECU
BBC Travel’s Ethical Traveler noted that for some, traveling is a calling – not just to see the world, but to build a career. And as the ideas of responsible and sustainable tourism have taken hold, so too have university degree programs designed to give students the skills to influence how tourism is managed, with the goal of benefiting local communities, preserving their cultures and protecting their environment. One of the spotlighted academic programs that can turn a passion into …
$3.4M in rural center grants to create nearly 350 jobs, provide clean water state wide.
In particular for Vance County, $16,323 for water infrastructure improvements to assist an expanding refrigeration company. This award is in addition to a $32,038 grant the county received earlier this year. The new award will create one additional job, increasing the project’s total to five jobs. The N.C. Rural Economic Development Center has awarded 24 grants totaling $3.4 million to create jobs, provide clean water and assist with economic development in rural counties. The grants will create 349 jobs and …
700 to be hired for call center in Greensboro
The nearly 700 jobs lost when NCO Customer Management Inc. announced the pending closure of its call center in Guilford County in March are now due to be replaced in that same location following a corporate reorganization and the securing of new contracts, according to company officials. Two new major clients have been secured for the call center at 4336 Federal Drive, said Stephen Kidder, the general manager of the facility. Though the center has a Greensboro address, it is …
N.C. Economic Developers Woo Chicago Site Selection Consultants
On Aug. 28, around 25 site selection consultants gathered at a luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Chicago to hear an update on current business conditions in the state from N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco and around 25 state economic developers. With 2012 project activity and company announcements remaining strong, Crisco detailed the many ways North Carolina is meeting the challenging economy and providing companies the competitive advantages they need to thrive in the state. “Since 2009, …
Hospira to Expand and Modernize North Carolina Facility in Nash County
RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Hospira, a leading provider of injectable medicines and infusion technologies, will modernize and expand the capabilities of its operations in Nash County. The company plans to create 200 additional jobs and make new capital investments for the construction, improvement, upfitting and equipping of existing and new facilities. The capital investment will be at least $85 million over the next three years and could grow to be up to $270 million over the …
North Carolina named “State of the Year” for its Economic Development Efforts
RALEIGH – Southern Business & Development, a leading publication covering and promoting economic development in the American South, announced that North Carolina has been named the “2012 State of the Year.” North Carolina is being honored as State of the Year based on its performance in 2011. North Carolina also received this accolade in 2005 and 2006. “This recognition is further proof that North Carolina is a great place to start or grow a business,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “Our …
VGCC Small Business Seminar discusses Loan Approval
Vance-Granville Community College’s Small Business Center will present a free seminar, entitled “Getting Money for your Small Business,” on Thursday, September 13. The seminar will be held from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in room 7107 of Building 7 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. This workshop is led by Carolyn Perry, director of the Rural Economic Development Center’s N.C. Microenterprise Loan Program (NCMLP). The staff of the NCMLP developed the workshop targeting women, people of color and …
Energy Sector Firm Schletter Chooses Shelby, North Carolina
RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Schletter, Inc., one of the largest designers and manufacturers of solar power mounting systems, will establish a production and distribution facility in Shelby. The company plans to create 305 jobs in North Carolina by the end of 2016, and invest more than $27 million in its Cleveland County facility. The project was made possible in part by state grants from the Job Development Investment Grant and the One North Carolina Fund. “Companies …