When Saudi Arabia began surpassing other countries among North Carolina’s top export markets, it accelerated the EDPNC’s interest in opening the state’s first overseas office dedicated to helping Tar Heel businesses grow their sales in the Middle East. Three years later, in September 2018, the EDPNC officially opened its first permanently budgeted Middle East trade…

When Doug Watson decided he wanted to leave a 20-plus year career as a corporate accountant to open a small shop and tasting room selling fine olive oils, balsamic vinegars, spices and gourmet foods in downtown Marion, he had a few questions. He wanted to know the licensing requirements for this first-of-its-kind store in Marion,…

Loba-Wakol, a supplier to the wood and resilient flooring industry, will expand its operations in North Carolina, establishing a new distribution and warehouse facility in Anson County and creating 24 jobs, The company plans to invest $6.6 million in Wadesboro. The average annual wage of the new jobs announced today will be $43,750. The average…

Pella Corporation, a leading manufacturer of window and door products for residential and commercial use, will create 124 jobs at its new manufacturing facility in Rockingham County. The company will invest nearly $20 million in the new operation in Reidsville, and hiring will begin in the fourth quarter of 2019. “After an extensive site selection…

North Carolina tourism generated record visitor spending in 2018 with a total of $25.3 billion. The 5.6 percent increase from 2017 was North Carolina’s largest percentage growth in travel and tourism spending since 2011. Additionally, tourism industry-supported employment topped 230,000 jobs to set another record for the state. “Tourism is a major economic engine for…

In January 2017, Laura Lee joined the EDPNC to fill a new position focused on recruiting food and beverage manufacturing operations, particularly value-added processors using local crops in their final product. “We grow over 80 commodities, and a large percentage of what is grown in North Carolina is shipped out of the state to be…

When innovative startup RiceWrap Foods announced in 2018 that it was locating a $9.9 million processing plant expected to create 305 new jobs in Butner, it was a big win for rural Granville County. RiceWrap uses a trade-secret method of preparing frozen rice sheets for sushi. The distinctive food processor adds something new to the…

North Carolina ranks No. 4 in the nation among the top-performing states in Chief Executive magazine’s 2019 Best and Worst States for Business survey. Chief Executive surveyed CEOs across the country about their opinions of all 50 states for the 2019 report. The results were released today. In its coverage of the award, the magazine…

The newly published report “2018: Evidence and Opportunity: Impact of Life Sciences in North Carolina” is a fascinating story of transformation. It also marks the 10th anniversary of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s contract with TEConomy Partners to track and evaluate the state’s life science landscape. Bottom line: The nation’s 10-year escape from the Great…

The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina’s work with Randolph County illustrates how a strong local and state partnership supports the growth of smaller manufacturers located in rural communities. In 2018, six manufacturers — assisted by Tracy Dellinger of the EDPNC and Kevin Franklin of the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation — announced expansions expected…

After several years of significant growth for Indian investment in the state, in 2018 the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina opened its first overseas office committed to identifying and attracting corporate investors from India. “We’re among a handful of states to establish an office in India dedicated to cultivating foreign direct investment,” said Ryan…

The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) recently released its annual report for 2018, marking the state’s second-best year in a decade for the number of new jobs attached to announced project wins. That’s just part of the good news reflected in the EDPNC’s latest annual report, which looks at our role and results…