NCEDA’s roots go back to a core mission of supporting the professionals working to bring jobs and investment to North Carolina. What began as an industrial development group has today grown into a full-fledged professional association supporting economic developers across every corner of the state.

“We’re actually 60 years old this year,” President, André Lennon says. “We celebrated in spring 2026. The association started as an industrial development group with the purpose of supporting economic developers in the state of North Carolina in recruiting industry to this state, helping bring jobs to the state, and supporting our citizens.”

That founding purpose has scaled dramatically. Today NCEDA counts nearly 1,000 members, a mix of economic development practitioners and ally members, professionals who support practitioners through site readiness work and other services that fuel business growth.

The organization itself runs lean. As a not-for-profit membership association, NCEDA is governed by a volunteer board and works alongside the L2 team. “NCEDA is a not-for-profit membership association of economic developers from across the state of North Carolina,” Vice President, Clark Duncan, explains.

The board draws its strength from geographic and professional diversity, helping NCEDA understand and advocate for the differing needs of urban, suburban, and rural communities across the state.

Ask NCEDA’s leadership what’s fueling North Carolina’s economic momentum, and several sectors consistently rise to the top: aviation and aerospace, automotive manufacturing, biotechnology, technology, and data all remain strong performers.

“What’s exciting is that they’re pretty consistent across the state of North Carolina,” Duncan tells us. “We are a state that continues to see a lot of growth and investment in aviation and aerospace, and automotive manufacturing. Biotechnology remains dominant, as does technology and data.” He adds one more sector to the list—food and beverage—which he describes as a consistently strong performer for the state.

For a state routinely ranked among the best places in the country to do business, the reasons go beyond any single factor. Geography plays a foundational role, according to Lennon, who points to the state’s position in the Southeast and on the East Coast as an advantage that simply can’t be replicated.

“North Carolina has been very competitive over the past decade, and our geography is one of our competitive advantages that you can’t make up,” he says. “We have some quality of life advantages that assist us, but also the business climate is one of our strong competitive advantages as well. There’s a tax structure that’s set up that supports and incentivizes business investment.”

Duncan builds on this point, emphasizing the role NCEDA plays in sustaining a favorable long-term cost of doing business through relationships with legislative leaders. “Working with our legislative leaders, reminding them of the importance of having a long-term cost of doing business that’s favorable for companies,” is central to the association’s work, he says.

He also points to infrastructure investment, adding that the state’s interstate and highway network is a major asset, giving companies an efficient way to move products to customers. That, paired with a tax structure designed to let companies reinvest in themselves and in North Carolina over time, rounds out the state’s competitive edge.

The team also highlights a critical piece of the competitiveness puzzle: state investment in project-ready sites. Preparing properties in advance through due diligence and infrastructure investment can reduce risk and shorten speed-to-market for companies evaluating North Carolina. “There’s a lot of investment coming from the state to intentionally help and spur economic development all across North Carolina,” Duncan says, “and that makes for a big competitive advantage, along with our workforce solutions.”

While the North Carolina Department of Commerce and local governments administer most formal incentives and grants, NCEDA’s role is less about the dollars and more about the connective tissue between them. Lennon describes the association as a bridge linking the state’s many resources into a coherent, collaborative whole.

“We want our most rural counties to be as successful as our most urban,” says Lennon. “An association such as ours that represents the entirety of the state really thinks about how we share resources, how we advocate across all of our diverse members, so that we can come together to support project wins in all parts of the state.”

NCEDA connects its members to partner organizations such as the North Carolina Railroad and the Golden LEAF Foundation, which support site readiness and infrastructure funding. “Our association, being a member trade association, is the connector,” Lennon says. “We’re helping provide professional development opportunities on how to apply for those grants where they’re best administered.”

Workforce development runs through nearly every conversation about North Carolina’s competitiveness. NCEDA advocates for workforce policies and investments that respond to employers’ needs while also helping develop the next generation of economic development professionals.

“Over the last 15 to 20 years, North Carolina has been a real leader in investing in education and workforce development, which is necessary for effective economic growth in any state,” Lennon says. Through its foundation, NCEDA also invests in the future of the economic development profession through mentorship, internship, and other programs designed to bring new professionals into the field.

The connection between workforce policy and successful business recruitment can be seen in Rockingham County’s recent recruitment of TSEA Energia, a Brazilian manufacturer establishing its first U.S. manufacturing facility in the county. TSEA places a strong emphasis on apprenticeships and developing its workforce through hands-on learning—exactly the type of employer need that has shaped NCEDA’s advocacy for greater state investment in apprenticeships, community college programs, and other work-based learning opportunities.

“When we advocate for workforce funding, it’s because we hear directly from companies about what they need to be successful,” says Leigh Cockram, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for Rockingham County. “TSEA is a great example. Apprenticeships are an important part of their workforce model, and our community college and workforce partners are working with the company to help build that pipeline here. At the same time, the state has increasingly recognized the need to invest in apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities. That alignment between what employers need and where we invest our workforce resources is critical if North Carolina wants to continue winning projects and, more importantly, help those companies succeed after they get here.”

NCEDA’s flagship talent initiative, Career Trek, through its partnership with the NCEDA Foundation, actively recruits promising college graduates into economic development careers with the goal of sending them back to their home communities as future leaders. “We’re actively recruiting very promising college graduates from across the state into economic development professions so that they can go back into their hometown communities and take a leadership role in unifying businesses and educational and academic allies with our elected leadership to strengthen the economies of all 100 counties in the state,” Lennon says.

That long-term investment extends to mentorship within the profession itself, pairing younger economic developers with senior colleagues to build institutional knowledge and a shared sense of purpose.

Indeed, NCEDA’s programming reflects an intentional effort to support members at every career stage. Alongside Career Trek, the association runs an Emerging Executives group for early-career professionals, offering programming tailored to those just beginning in the field. A mentorship initiative pairs senior members with early-career professionals to encourage knowledge sharing across generations. And the Practitioners Workshop, now in its third year, rounds out the offering for members further along in their careers.

“We have a representative each year on our board who provides insight into their perspective and the key ideas they want to hear at our conferences and other meeting content throughout the year,” Lennon says of the Emerging Executives group.

Duncan echoes the sentiment, framing NCEDA as a professional home regardless of where a member is in their career or where they’re based in the state. “This organization is the place where, no matter where you are in your career, we’re here for each other; it doesn’t matter where you are in the state, your age, or your demographic,” Duncan says.

One of NCEDA’s most consistent contributions is its legislative advocacy, which channels feedback from economic developers across the state’s 100 counties to lawmakers in Raleigh. That work depends on both strong relationships and NCEDA’s credibility as a statewide voice for the profession. “We have a great relationship with lobbyists and advocates in Raleigh, but we also take the time to understand and know our legislators and make sure they’re aware of what we need,” Cockram says.

NCEDA has consistently advocated for greater and more predictable state investment in site readiness, including due diligence and infrastructure needed to make properties more competitive for projects. “It’s really important that we also maintain a level of prestige and respect from our legislators, so they know that when we’re coming to them, it’s for something that’s truly needed statewide,” Cockram says, “not specific or self-serving for any one sector of our membership.”

Looking ahead, the competitiveness challenge is broader than any single program: North Carolina must continue aligning policy and investment around the full economic development ecosystem—project-ready sites, infrastructure, utilities and energy, workforce and education, housing, transportation, speed-to-market, and a predictable business climate. One area of ongoing advocacy is expanding funding for project-ready sites, where speed to market has become a critical competitive factor.

“We’ve seen additional funding for site readiness, whether that’s due diligence studies for industrial sites or other infrastructure improvements to have these sites ready for projects when they’re relocating to our state,” Lennon shares.

Ultimately, he credits the association’s success to something less tangible than funding or sector strength, and that is collaboration. “Organizations like NCEDA really set the state of North Carolina apart in the very competitive economic development landscape in the United States,” he says. “You have to have great land, products, and sites. You have to have a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. But really, the magic is in collaboration and how you pull together teams across universities, industry, and government to support economic growth. That remains a key priority for NCEDA.”

After 60 years, NCEDA’s next challenge is not simply to celebrate North Carolina’s success, but to help sustain it. With nearly 1,000 members and a statewide network of practitioners and partners, the association is positioned to help ensure that the policies, investments, and collaboration that made North Carolina competitive continue evolving for the next generation of projects and communities.

The post Keeping North Carolina Competitive for 60 Years<p class="company">North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA)</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

The formation of Iredell EDC through the consolidation of existing economic development organizations serving North and South Iredell created a unified strategy focused on jobs, investment, workforce development, and long-term community success.

Eight years later, the results speak for themselves.

Iredell EDC has helped generate more than $3 billion in investment, support over 150 new and expanding projects, and facilitate the creation of more than 6,000 jobs throughout the county. More importantly, it has helped position Iredell County among North Carolina’s most dynamic economies, ranking among the state’s leaders in population growth and average wages.

While the data is certainly meaningful, the real successes are the relationships and collaborations that have formed the underpinning upon which everything else rests. “The greatest accomplishment of Iredell EDC over the last eight years isn’t measured solely in jobs created or dollars invested,” says Jeff Cernuto, Chairman, Iredell County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. “It’s measured in the relationships we’ve built and the partnerships we’ve strengthened. Our municipalities, educational institutions, businesses, investors, and community organizations have demonstrated that when Iredell County works together, we all succeed together. Economic development is a team sport, and our collective commitment to a shared vision has made us stronger than any one community could be on its own.”

Driving growth through new and expanding business announcements
One of the clearest measures of economic development success is the ability to attract investment while supporting the growth of existing industries. Since its formation, Iredell EDC has worked closely with businesses, developers, utilities, municipalities, and state partners to help companies establish, expand, and reinvest in Iredell County.

The impact extends far beyond the numbers. New investments generate quality jobs, expand local tax revenues, strengthen infrastructure, and create opportunities for families throughout the community. At the same time, existing industry has remained a central focus of Iredell EDC’s strategy.

Nationally, most new job creation comes from companies already located within a community. Recognizing this reality, Iredell EDC has invested heavily in business retention and expansion efforts through executive visits, industry councils, workforce assistance, and company outreach. By maintaining strong relationships with employers and responding quickly to challenges, the organization has helped local businesses continue growing and investing in Iredell County.

Accuma Corporation, a leader in the manufacture of energy storage components for the battery industry, is just one example of Iredell EDC’s commitment to existing industry. Chris Totherow, Sales Manager for Accuma Corporation, shares, “Iredell EDC has been an invaluable partner to Accuma, providing support that extends far beyond traditional economic development services. Their team has helped us address operational challenges, connect with key local resources for facility improvements, and identify opportunities for future growth and market expansion. The relationships they have facilitated and the practical solutions they have provided have created measurable value for our business. Their responsiveness, hands-on approach, and commitment to our long-term success have made them a trusted extension of our team and an important contributor to Accuma’s continued growth.”

Product development: preparing Iredell County for opportunity
While business announcements generate headlines, successful economic development begins long before a company selects a location.

A critical component of Iredell EDC’s work has been product development, which includes the sites, buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and transportation assets needed to compete for investment. Without market-ready locations, communities struggle to attract new employers or support expanding industries.

Over the last eight years, Iredell EDC has worked closely with local governments, utility providers, property owners, developers, and regional partners to strengthen Iredell County’s inventory of competitive sites and industrial assets. These efforts have included site assessments, infrastructure planning, transportation improvements, utility coordination, and support for industrial development projects.

As industrial demand accelerated throughout the Charlotte region, Iredell County was positioned to capitalize on new opportunities, and during this period, Iredell EDC helped support the development of 17 new industrial parks and sites, representing an industrial pipeline of approximately 15 million square feet. Ryan Beadle, Vice President of Development for Jackson-Shaw, shares his experience: “Iredell EDC has been a true partner on LKN Crossing from day one—through annexation, rezoning, and entitlements, they were responsive at every step and knew how to get to yes. In my experience, that is what separates counties that talk about growth from counties that land it. Jackson-Shaw is proud to be bringing 885,000 square feet of Class A industrial space to the I-77 corridor in Mooresville, and Iredell County made that an easy decision.”

The organization has also leveraged external resources to improve site readiness. In 2025, Iredell EDC secured a Golden LEAF grant supporting road improvements at Mooresville Business Park East. More recently, Iredell County had two sites selected to participate in Duke Energy’s Site Readiness Program. These investments help ensure Iredell County remains competitive for future business recruitment and expansion opportunities.

Creating a talent pipeline through Iredell Ready
If product development creates places for businesses to grow, workforce development ensures they have the talent needed to succeed.

Perhaps no initiative better demonstrates Iredell EDC’s commitment to innovation and collaboration than Iredell Ready, a countywide workforce initiative created to connect education and employment while addressing long-term talent needs.

Launched through a partnership investment of approximately $750,000, Iredell Ready was designed to create a unified workforce strategy that brings together employers, school districts, higher education institutions, workforce agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local governments around a common mission: preparing residents for meaningful careers while helping employers build a skilled workforce.

Rather than functioning as a single program, Iredell Ready serves as a countywide framework that aligns workforce efforts and creates career pathways from education to employment.

The results have been significant, with more than 150 businesses and community organizations participating in Iredell Ready initiatives. Career fairs, industry tours, internships, apprenticeships, classroom engagement, and work-based learning opportunities have helped thousands of students and job seekers gain exposure to careers available right here in Iredell County.

The initiative has also garnered recognition far beyond county lines. Iredell Ready received an Award of Excellence from the International Economic Development Council, highlighting its innovative and collaborative approach to workforce development.

Most importantly, Iredell Ready has transformed how workforce development is viewed locally. Workforce readiness is no longer considered the responsibility of any one institution. Instead, employers, educators, workforce partners, government agencies, and community organizations work together to build a stronger talent pipeline for future generations.

Advancing educational attainment and economic mobility
The success of Iredell Ready has helped fuel another significant achievement: advancing educational attainment across the county.

As North Carolina’s economy becomes increasingly skills-based, communities must create pathways that help residents earn credentials, certifications, and degrees aligned with workforce demands. Educational attainment is directly tied to workforce competitiveness, income growth, economic mobility, and business attraction.

Through strong partnerships among education, workforce, and economic development leaders, Iredell County has made measurable progress in preparing students for careers available in the local and regional economy. Participation in Career & College Promise programs has expanded, allowing more students to earn college credit while still in high school. Enrollment growth at Mitchell Community College and increased engagement in career-connected learning opportunities further demonstrate the county’s commitment to workforce readiness.

These accomplishments have been recognized at the state level. In 2026, MyFutureNC selected Iredell Ready to participate in its Attainment NC Cohort, providing $200,000 in grant funding to support continued expansion of workforce and attainment initiatives.

This recognition reflects the success of a community-wide effort to connect education and industry while ensuring residents have access to quality career opportunities. As employers continue seeking workers with specialized skills and credentials, these attainment initiatives help prepare students and job seekers for long-term success.

“North Carolina’s 2 Million by 2030 goal is state-led but it will only be achieved through local action and cross-sector collaboration,” states The Honorable John Fraley, Chairman, myFutureNC. “Programs like Iredell Ready connect students, families, educators, and employers to ensure every individual has a pathway to a meaningful credential, a rewarding career, and long-term economic mobility. When we invest in educational attainment and workforce readiness locally, we not only transform individual lives—we strengthen the future of our community, region, and state.”

The power of regional and statewide partnerships
A defining characteristic of Iredell EDC’s success has been its understanding that economic development extends beyond county boundaries.

Many of the organization’s accomplishments have been made possible through strong relationships with regional and statewide partners committed to economic growth, workforce development, and community advancement.

The partnership with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) has helped connect Iredell County to business recruitment opportunities from across the nation and internationally. Through collaboration on project leads, site selection efforts, and marketing initiatives, Iredell County has expanded its visibility and competitiveness. “As a key partner for EDPNC, Iredell County brings great value to North Carolina,” says Abbie Currens, Business Recruitment Manager for EDPNC. “New companies considering the region find an established manufacturing industry, strong industrial workforce, logistics advantages with the I-40/I-77 intersection, and significant utility access across a wide range of sites and product. Additionally, their economic development team brings a depth of knowledge, open spirit, and willingness to adapt to each company’s unique needs that is appreciated by both EDPNC and its clients.”

Workforce and talent development efforts have been strengthened through collaboration with the Centralina Regional Council, which has recognized Iredell Ready as a model for workforce collaboration and supported efforts that align education and workforce priorities throughout the region.

In addition, participation in the North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA) allows Iredell EDC to engage with economic development professionals across the state, share best practices, advocate for economic development priorities, and bring innovative ideas back to the community.

Together, these partnerships have expanded resources, strengthened collaboration, and amplified Iredell County’s ability to compete for investment and opportunity.

Collaboration as the foundation of success
While investment figures, workforce milestones, and development projects are important measures of success, Iredell EDC’s greatest accomplishment over the past eight years has been creating a culture of collaboration.

From its beginning, the organization was founded on the belief that communities are stronger when they work together. That philosophy continues to guide partnerships among municipalities, school districts, higher education institutions, employers, workforce organizations, nonprofit agencies, investors, and economic development partners throughout the county.

The success of Iredell Ready, the county’s attainment initiatives, major business announcements, product development investments, and infrastructure projects all share one common thread: collaboration.

As Iredell EDC celebrates eight years of service, it can point to impressive accomplishments in investment, workforce development, educational attainment, product development, and business growth. More importantly, it has established a framework for continued success.

The story of Iredell EDC is ultimately a story about partnership. By bringing together business, education, government, and community leadership around a shared vision, Iredell County has created a stronger economy, expanded opportunity for residents, and positioned itself for a prosperous future.

The post Eight Years of Impact: How Iredell EDC Helped Transform Economic Development in Iredell County<p class="company">Iredell Economic Development Corporation</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“We have a rich history that dates back to 1760 that makes itself apparent just by walking downtown and through our historic district. Hosting one of two original Town Commons in the United States, you can walk seven blocks from our Riverfront Park to the Town Common and feel right at home.”

One of Tarboro’s greatest strengths is the ability to maintain a genuine small-town sense of community, agrees Troy R. Lewis, Town Manager.

“People know their neighbors, local businesses know their customers, and there’s still a strong connection between our residents, our schools, our churches, our businesses, and local government,” Lewis says. “That creates a quality of life that is increasingly difficult to find. For residents, it means being part of a community where people are invested in one another.”

Tarboro’s economic history has long been tied to transportation and trade, developing along the Tar River and becoming an important river port during the 18th and 19th centuries. In many ways, transportation helped create Tarboro.

“Tarboro has a long history of trade dating back to colonial times when we utilized the river for trade,” says Mayo. “We were the furthest upriver port on the Tar-Roanoke River. With the advent of rail, the decline of river trade began and caused a greater shift to trade by rail.”

Today, a rail line that runs through town serves the town’s industries, with all rail capabilities greatly augmented in 2021 with the opening of CSX’s Carolina Connector Intermodal Terminal, allowing for goods to leave the town and make it to an inland port less than 20 miles away to be easily and speedily transferred to trucks or shipped by rail to the ports of Savannah, Norfolk, Wilmington, and Morehead City.

The Carolina Connector, located locally in Edgecombe County, allows containers to be transferred efficiently between trucks and trains. The facility was designed to improve connections to domestic and international markets and North Carolina’s ports. “For industry, that is a tremendous advantage. A manufacturer does not just look at the cost of land or a building anymore; they look at the entire supply chain,” Lewis adds. “They want to know how quickly raw materials can arrive and how efficiently finished products can reach customers and ports.”

Having that intermodal capability in the immediate region gives Tarboro and Edgecombe County a logistical advantage that many rural communities simply don’t have. There’s also a very strong industrial location within Tarboro itself at the Tarboro Commerce Center, a park that is home to Astemo, Prudential Stainless & Alloys, Piedmont Natural Gas, and Amazon, along with approximately 45 acres of pad-ready industrial property remain available for development. The Commerce Center is adjacent to U.S. 64, the future I-87 corridor, and is served by town water, sewer, and electric utilities. The Carolina Connector is within a short drive, giving Tarboro an immediately available site for companies that may not require the scale of the Kingsboro Business Park—rated by consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle as the only shovel-ready and competitive megasite in the state of North Carolina—but still want excellent infrastructure and access to multiple modes of transportation.

“Kingsboro is one of the most important economic development assets in our region because one of the biggest factors in industrial recruitment today is speed to market,” Lewis explains. “Companies considering major investments don’t necessarily have several years to assemble property, extend infrastructure, complete environmental studies, and work through all of the other issues associated with developing a large industrial site. They want to know that a community has done its homework and is ready to move.”

That is where Kingsboro distinguishes itself, he adds. The Kingsboro Business Park is a CSX-served industrial site between Tarboro and Rocky Mount with infrastructure including water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications. Significant due diligence on the site has already been completed, and the site has highway, rail, and intermodal access.

For Tarboro, landing a major employer at Kingsboro would have impacts well beyond the site itself. It can create employment opportunities, increase demand for housing, support restaurants and retailers, create opportunities for suppliers and contractors, and strengthen the tax base throughout the region. Like many small communities, one of Tarboro’s biggest challenges is maintaining and replacing aging infrastructure while keeping services affordable for residents—water, sewer, electricity, roads, stormwater, parks, and public facilities all require continued investment. Construction costs have increased substantially, so communities must be increasingly strategic about how they prioritize projects and leverage state, federal, and grant funding.

“Housing is another significant challenge and one that is increasingly connected to our economic development efforts,” Lewis shares. “Tarboro has seen tremendous growth through infill development in recent years, which has been very positive for the community. However, a recent housing assessment identified a significant need for additional housing. We need to continue improving and expanding our housing stock at a variety of price points.” As the town continues to recruit businesses and industries and create new employment opportunities, having quality housing available for the people who will fill those jobs becomes an important part of the overall economic development strategy.

The greatest challenge is the perception of workforce availability, adds the Mayor. “Our workforce is here and very close around us, but this is a constant talking point around the tables of development. We draw a workforce from 11 counties here in Tarboro. If there is work to be had, there will be people to work those jobs.”

He explains that the Town of Tarboro is continually able to keep taxes, electricity, water, and sewer rates lower than any other community in proximity to it.

“One of our accomplishments has been continuing to invest rather than simply maintaining the status quo,” adds Lewis. “We have made significant public investments in our downtown and riverfront, including improvements designed to better connect Main Street with the Tar River.”

Those public investments complement significant private investment that has occurred downtown through projects such as Taps on Main, Granville Lofts, Riverview Lofts, the former Cherry Inn property, and other historic rehabilitation projects.

“I’m proud that we continue to look beyond individual projects and think about what Tarboro should be 10, 20, or 30 years from now,” says Lewis. “The challenge for a community like ours is to pursue progress without losing our identity. We have been successful in recognizing that historic preservation, quality of life, housing, infrastructure, and economic development can support one another rather than compete with one another.”

The town’s economic development in particular has been impressive, and the past two years have seen a number of developments, creating significant jobs and investment: from Amazon, a $15 million investment and 100 jobs; from Prudential Stainless & Alloy, a $10 million investment with 30 jobs; expansions including that of LS Cable & System, a $50 million investment and 85 jobs; Astemo’s $44 million investment with 52 jobs; and Madem-Moorecraft’s $2 million investment, bringing 37 jobs. “$96 million—or approximately 80 percent of this investment—has come from existing industries, highlighting that Tarboro is a great place for business and industry to be successful,” says Lewis.

Tarboro is also currently making “very active headway” into finding more developable land to establish a new industrial park. The town has seen a massive boom in housing supply, expanding the housing stock by around 300 units in the past few years, with over 300 more currently on the books to be constructed.

“We’re also currently placing a great amount of attention into revitalizing the downtown,” Mayo adds. “This includes a bulkhead at Riverfront Park, revitalizing the Courthouse Square, and currently, using grants to help businesses downtown revitalize their storefronts.”

The town also plans to continue improving and expanding its housing stock; a good example is a recently approved 191-unit single-family and multifamily subdivision.

Another major milestone is continuing to improve recreational facilities and public spaces and move forward with projects such as a new farmers market.

“Those may seem like smaller projects when compared with a megasite, but quality-of-life investments are increasingly part of economic development,” Lewis says. “When companies recruit employees, those employees want good parks, recreation, restaurants, housing, events, and attractive public spaces.”

Ultimately, the milestones he wants to see are sustainable growth, additional jobs, new housing, continued downtown investment, additional industrial development, and a stronger tax base, while Tarboro remains recognizably Tarboro.

As for special events and activities, the town has many to share, including its “huge” football culture. “Our Tarboro High School Vikings have won 10 state championships, and the people of our town are very proud of our school and team,” says the Mayor.

The town also hosts a great number of events downtown throughout the year, including a summer concert series, a bluegrass festival at Riverfront Park, carriage rides at Christmas, pop-up markets, and pickleball courts on the Town Common; there are an endless number of events for all interests in Tarboro, and the Christmas season in particular is a special time, with the Christmas Parade and the Downtown Christmas Crawl along with numerous other community activities, while the year begins with the New Year’s Ball Drop. As the weather warms, events such as SpringFest, Blue Ribbon Kids Day, and Happening on the Common bring residents and visitors together on the historic Town Common. The Tarborough Faire is a free, family-friendly Renaissance Faire, while the Downtown Summer Music Series provides live music and another reason for people to come downtown, visit local businesses, and spend time together.

“These events are very different from one another, and that variety says something about Tarboro,” Lewis says. “There are opportunities for families, music lovers, history enthusiasts, outdoor recreation, and people who simply enjoy getting together with their neighbors.”

The Tar River itself provides opportunities for fishing, boating, and paddling, and parks and recreational facilities provide year-round activities. “Taken together, these festivals, sports, traditions, and community gatherings are more than entertainment; they’re part of what creates a sense of place,” says Lewis.

The goal, he stresses, is not to become something different simply for the sake of growth, but to promote economic development and new investment while also preserving the qualities that make people want to live, work, and raise a family in Tarboro in the first place. “That really gets back to what makes Tarboro special,” he says. “We have a remarkable history, but we’re not interested in simply being a historic town that looks backward. We want to use that history and our sense of community as the foundation for what comes next.”

Tarboro can offer a company sophisticated infrastructure, rail and intermodal access, and proximity to major markets, while still offering employees the quality of life and personal connections of a small town. “That combination of historic character, community, quality of life, and modern economic opportunity is the story we want to continue telling about Tarboro.”

The post A Sense of Place<p class="company">Town of Tarboro, North Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

This year marks 20 years since that transition, and the organization is marking the milestone by reflecting on how its mission has evolved, growing from a Chamber committee into a dedicated economic development engine that now supports more than 130 manufacturers across the county.

“We became our own entity laser-focused on job creation—the creation and the retention of quality jobs in Henderson County,” says President and CEO, Brittany Brady. She explains that doing so helps to offset taxes and expenses for the county’s residents, a dynamic that has shaped HCPED’s priorities from the start. “We’ve always been focused on strong job creation and strong capital investment because it offsets taxes and expenses for our citizens,” she says. “Having that strong tax base is important, and obviously, having great jobs for our citizens is important.”

Over the past 20 years, though, HCPED’s role in the community has broadened well beyond chasing individual projects. Brady describes the organization today as a strategic development partner, one that has built out more robust workforce programming and product development efforts alongside its traditional recruitment work.

Remarkably, all of this is accomplished by a lean team. HCPED typically employs between three and four people. “We are small and mighty,” Brady says of her staff.

HCPED operates as a 501(c)(6) entity and describes itself as a public-private partnership. Elected officials and public bodies fund much of its work, effectively contracting HCPED to recruit and retain quality jobs on the county’s behalf. Private investors also contribute, having recognized the return that comes when new industry moves to town. “When industry comes to town, it benefits everyone,” Brady says, “and so they have invested in the work that we do.”

Balancing those public and private interests, she says, comes down to listening to what public partners find important and to what the industry itself needs. “It’s listening to what our public partners find important, what industry sectors are a good fit for our community, how they’re developing their land code and where we can work with them,” Brady explains. “The other element is understanding what industry needs, understanding if there’s an opportunity to become more business-friendly, if there are opportunities to collaborate.”

That approach, Brady says, has paid off in an unexpected way by helping both public officials and private companies better understand why economic development matters in the first place.

Part of what sets Henderson County apart, believes Brady, is the strength of its relationships with elected officials, relationships HCPED has worked deliberately to build. “They have bought into economic development, and that isn’t by chance. That is us really working with them, having meetings, educating them again on the importance of manufacturing investment in our community and how great manufacturing is—it’s really clean jobs, great jobs, strong investment.” The result is a business-friendly environment where companies know they can pick up the phone and get the answers they need. “They feel welcome here,” she says.

HCPED’s work is overwhelmingly concentrated in one sector. Roughly 95 percent of its office’s focus is on advanced manufacturing, and its location plays directly into that specialty. Henderson County sits south of Asheville, North Carolina and north of Greenville, South Carolina, a position that lends itself naturally to transportation components manufacturing. “We can serve the automotive industry in upstate South Carolina and even further south, as well as the growing aviation and aerospace cluster that has been established in western North Carolina,” Brady says.

Beyond transportation, the county’s industry base spans several sectors shaped by its mountain setting and its growing population. Outdoor products manufacturing, healthcare and healthcare manufacturing, food and beverage manufacturing, general machining, advanced materials, and professional and technical services all feature prominently. “More and more people want to live in western North Carolina, and those headquarters-type jobs and technical jobs are finding their way to the mountains as well,” Brady says.

When it comes to the investors HCPED is actively courting, the target list mirrors its existing strengths in aerospace, automotive, outdoor products, healthcare products, food and beverage, machinery, advanced materials, and professional and technical services.

Ask Brady what she shows prospective investors first, and location tops the list. Henderson County sits on Interstate 26, within a day’s drive of most major East Coast markets, and benefits from connectivity to Interstates 40, 81, 77, and 85. “That is huge because we have this opportunity to get along the Eastern Seaboard.”

The county is also just an hour from an inland port, with access to multiple deep-water ports across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Several of its premier industrial sites sit minutes from Asheville Regional Airport, and Charlotte International Airport is less than two hours away. “There’s just an abundance of location advantages to being here in Henderson County,” Brady says, noting how critical that combination becomes for companies looking to shorten supply chains and diversify freight options.

For companies weighing where to land, HCPED points to its Economic Development Assistance Grant, a performance-based incentive tied directly to job creation, wages, and capital investment. Companies that qualify can recoup a percentage of their ad valorem taxes on both real and personal property. “Our program is pretty aggressive, and we go up to 120 percent of those ad valorem taxes based on jobs, wages, and investment,” Brady says. Companies that bring high job counts, strong wages, and substantial investment stand to see that full 120 percent return through the performance-based grant, a significant draw for manufacturers evaluating sites across the region.

Beyond recruitment and retention, HCPED has invested heavily in workforce development through its Made in Henderson County program, launched in 2012 to introduce local students to manufacturing careers.

The program began with a video, then expanded to include facility tours, educator visits, classroom presentations, and eventually a children’s book. Brady describes it as a cradle-to-career pipeline. Elementary school students in Henderson County Public Schools receive a picture book about local manufacturing. Middle schoolers go on plant tours. By high school, students are encouraged to consider an apprenticeship program run in partnership with Blue Ridge Community College, or to pursue manufacturing-focused training at the college directly.

“We know that many of these students do want to go to a traditional four-year university, and so for those students who are seeking a four-year degree, we do want to remind them that they can come back to Henderson County and there are great jobs,” Brady says.

Local manufacturers function almost like small cities in themselves, employing far more than production-line workers. “Whether you have an engineering degree, an HR degree, a marketing degree, or anything in between, there’s a good chance that a manufacturer in Henderson County will have a good job opportunity for you,” she says.

The children’s book at the center of the program, titled You Can Make It, grew out of Brady’s own experience as a parent. As the mother of two school-age children, she has seen firsthand how important reading is, both at home and in the school system. “Students are always finding new facts and new stories from reading. And as a parent, helping a child read, you’re also learning these things,” she says.

That observation became the seed for a book aimed specifically at first-grade students in Henderson County Public Schools, designed so children and their parents could learn about manufacturing together. “We want students to know that you can make it. You can be successful in your hometown, and you can make products here through manufacturing. And for those parents who are reading the book, you too can make it. You can also make products here in Henderson County,” says Brady.

Asked about HCPED’s priorities for the next three to five years, Brady points to a 101-acre tract adjacent to Asheville Regional Airport known as Ferncliff Industrial Park, purchased jointly by Henderson County and HCPED a couple of years ago.

“These 101 acres and its location by the airport, its proximity to Interstate 26, make it a prime manufacturing site,” Brady says. The site requires LEED certification, supporting clean manufacturing operations, and its direct access to the airport runway is a rarity in western North Carolina and across the state more broadly.

“We would love to capture aerospace manufacturing there at Ferncliff Park,” Brady shares. “That would be a win for us personally as an organization, but also for our community and as the state, getting back to our roots as being first in flight.”

For HCPED, the relationship with a new manufacturer doesn’t end once a deal closes. Brady describes a hands-on approach that begins the moment a company begins its site search and continues long after it opens its doors. “When a company comes to Henderson County, we’re with them 100 percent of the way. When they’re starting their search, we want to make sure that we’re finding the right location for them and removing any hurdles that are with them in that startup phase. But also once they get established, we stay with them.”

HCPED positions itself as a connector within the broader community, linking companies to the local leaders, partners, and resources they need to put down roots. “We like to say we’re a jack of all trades, where we know so many different people in the community and we’ll connect you with those leaders,” Brady says.

As a membership-based organization, HCPED also hosts a range of events for its investors and for the broader manufacturing community, alongside a members-only portal that lets manufacturers connect with one another. Regular retention visits help HCPED’s small team stay attuned to what existing companies need, whether that means help securing a grant, expanding infrastructure, connecting with another manufacturer, or linking up with a utility partner.

With its next chapter centered on aerospace ambitions at Ferncliff Industrial Park and a workforce pipeline already reaching the county’s youngest residents, HCPED’s message to prospective manufacturers is straightforward. As Brady puts it, Henderson County is open for business.

The post Small and Mighty: Turning Geography into Growth for Western North Carolina Manufacturers<p class="company">Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development (HCPED)</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

In addition to several thriving unincorporated communities, including Cashiers, Cullowhee, and Whittier, the county is also home to four incorporated towns—Dillsboro, Sylva, Webster, and Forest Hills—and more than 185 recognized summits, 200 rivers and streams, stunning scenery, unmatched outdoor activity, and a beautiful setting for cultural and economic interaction.

Home to more than 40,000 people, the county’s population is predicted to grow steadily throughout the next 10 years, and according to the most recent census data, has increased by 30 percent since 2000, making Jackson the county with the greatest rate of growth among the seven counties that comprise the Southwestern North Carolina Mountains.

“Our goal is to build a more diverse economy in Jackson County, one that creates new opportunities for businesses to grow and for our residents to build meaningful careers close to home,” says Tiffany Henry, Director of Economic Development.

Central to that strategy is the Jackson County Business Campus, a roughly 42-acre former industrial property off Skyland Drive. The project represents Jackson County’s first intentionally developed business and industrial campus, creating new opportunities for business expansion, recruitment, and economic diversification. The property was also selected for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina’s (EDPNC) SelectSite program, recognizing its potential for industrial development. “Sites like this are extremely rare and difficult to find, especially in the mountains,” says Henry.

A relatively flat site, it is fully rail-served and will provide the county with something it has never had before. “It’s a place where we can proactively recruit businesses rather than waiting for an appropriate property to become available,” Henry says. “We’re focusing on right-sized businesses and industries that fit Jackson County, particularly manufacturing,” she explains. “We want to create opportunities for existing businesses and attract new employers that can provide quality, higher-wage careers for our residents.”

The county has entered into an economic development agreement with The Ruddell Group as its private development partner, with the goal of constructing buildings that will create much-needed, market-ready industrial space.

The development is also expected to attract a range of businesses and industries to the area. “Ruddell primarily targets advanced manufacturing, assembly, specialty logistics, and B2B companies,” says Ruddell Group’s founder, Dean Taitz. “That could be HVAC that needs 20,000 square feet or a custom cabinet manufacturer; we’ve seen it all, and those clients really like the product we put out.”

Taitz is eager to see development move forward and hopes to secure an early tenant, helping build momentum for the campus.

“It would be a huge win, providing great momentum for the area,” he says. “It’s a testament to how, when local government and private developers come together, we can achieve a whole lot more being on the same team. It’s also a very interesting concept, especially in real estate development. I’ve got to commend Jackson County for being on the cutting edge.”

“An important part of this project is that the county is retaining a portion of the property for a proposed workforce training center in partnership with our Southwestern Community College,” Henry explains. “That creates a unique opportunity to bring business and workforce training together on the same campus. Our vision is to connect employers with the talent and training resources they need while creating new career pathways for our residents.”

Taitz also sees the site’s relatively flat terrain and existing rail access as significant advantages in a region where industrial development can be so challenging. “To find that in Western North Carolina is a huge incentive in itself,” Taitz says. “If you need to be in Western North Carolina and need a 100,000-square-foot building, this is one of the only sites that we could build it on easily and cost-effectively that’s rail-served.”

“It’s an incentive to the right kind of people who know how tough it is,” he adds. “If you want to serve the area, be close, and reap all the benefits there, this is a site you can fit your business on.”

With access to both Western Carolina University and Southwestern Community College, Jackson County is well positioned to connect businesses with workforce training and education resources.

“We have an interesting mix right here,” says Henry. “Having this workforce training center on this property will allow us the opportunity to provide hands-on training space for programs such as construction, electrical, plumbing, or other advanced trades needed in this space, and we hope will respond to the needs of future employers.”

It will also help set Jackson County apart, drawing in both business and employees. “I’ve never worked on a project where we can train all the employers’ workers across the railroad,” adds Taitz. “They’re basically on the same site, which is really powerful.”

Of course, with extra jobs and employment comes the often-challenging task of providing adequate, affordable housing, an issue discussed nationwide and one that Jackson County is tackling head-on. “I’m excited that we’re not just studying these problems anymore; we’re putting projects on the ground,” says Henry. “In Jackson County, we’ve been working on a multi-partner development bringing workforce homeownership, workforce rental housing, and affordable senior housing.”

Webster Village is a collaborative housing initiative bringing together Jackson County, Mountain Projects, Western Carolina University, and Givens Communities. The development will include workforce homeownership opportunities, workforce rental housing, and affordable senior housing, addressing several different housing needs within the community. Jackson County has helped coordinate the partnership and secure funding for the infrastructure necessary to support the development. The Givens affordable senior housing component is scheduled to break ground December 8, with completion anticipated in 2028.

“We’re moving beyond studying the housing challenges and taking real steps to create more housing opportunities in Jackson County,” Henry explains. “We’re a small rural county, and that makes it really challenging. I’ve never felt like I could really, honestly recruit a business until we addressed some of these fundamental things: housing, childcare, broadband, and workforce training.”

Those are precisely the issues she has been working on diligently for the past five years, with housing in particular well on its way. “We’re also doing some significant work in the childcare space with a project we’re really excited about called Webster ChildPlex. It’s an innovative shared-facility model designed to help independent childcare providers open and operate their own classrooms while sharing common spaces and resources.”

A county-owned space being developed around a shared facility model to expand childcare capacity and support providers, the ChildPlex is akin to a “childcare incubator,” providing licensed classrooms, support, and resources needed to start a classroom while incubating and growing into a center model.

“I can’t expect staff to move from an existing center to the one that I’m trying to open, ultimately closing a classroom to open another one,” Henry says. “Then I’m shuffling kids around, and I’m not solving a problem. This, to me, is solving a problem at a grassroots level. We’re working on the fundamental building blocks, if you will, of economic development, this being one of them.”

It’s certainly a vital one, along with the need for broadband, she adds. Broadband infrastructure is being actively deployed across the county, with close to 95 percent of address points either served or funded for broadband service.

With training, education, and housing all making headway, Jackson County boasts a multitude of other advantages, including stunning outdoor spaces to draw residents, tourists, and businesses alike. “Our quality of life is probably one of our greatest competitive advantages because we don’t have to convince people that Jackson County is a great place to live,” Henry says. “From fishing and hiking to public lands wedged in between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, visitors and residents love it because we have a lot of those assets right here at our back door.”

These are coupled with vibrant small-town downtowns and communities that have their own unique identities. “You get all of the benefits of a rural community that is vibrant, and there’s a lot going on in them.”

The county also boasts a strong cultural heritage, with approximately 10 percent or more of its residents identifying as Native American, predominantly of Cherokee descent. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, one of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes in the United States, is headquartered on the Qualla Boundary, which includes lands in Jackson and Swain counties.

Special events abound in Jackson County with Mountain Heritage Day and Greening Up the Mountains festivals and numerous community holiday events that bring a tremendous amount of art, music, and Appalachian cultural heritage to the region, while Whittier Heritage Grounds, a former industrial property that sat largely vacant for decades, is transforming into a community and event space that can host anything from festivals and markets to agricultural and youth events. “Plans for the property include a 48,000-square-foot open-air pavilion that will expand opportunities for community celebrations, agricultural events, festivals, and other activities,” Henry adds.

“It’s a unique project. Economic development in rural North Carolina looks very different than it does in our more urban neighborhoods, and this project is one of those.”

Henry has a close affinity for the county she has never left, growing up there and having attended both Southwestern and Western. “Jackson County has always been a place where I want to live, and I want people to want to live, and I’m invested in it because I know how special it is,” she says. “Our work now is making sure it’s a place where more people can build a career, raise a family, and create a future affordably. We’ve got to work on all of these different things so they can stay here.”

This also means increasingly looking at economic development as an ecosystem, she stresses. “We can’t talk about recruiting an employer without talking about where the employees are going to live and whether they can find childcare, have broadband, how we’re going to train the workforce—we’re trying to handle all of those collectively. That’s one element of our economic development strategy.”

The post Connected Through Community: Bringing Business, People, and Training Together<p class="company">Jackson County, North Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

RCEDC is a nonprofit organization with a clear mandate in supporting the industries already rooted in the community while attracting new manufacturers to the county. It’s a mission with real stakes. Manufacturing accounts for roughly 25 percent of all jobs in Randolph County, making it a cornerstone of the local economy and a driving force behind the county’s long-term planning.

“We really focus on the industrial sector, and that is supporting the industry that is already based in our community as well as the attraction of new industry to Randolph County,” says Kevin Franklin, President of RCEDC. “It’s an important part of our local economy. We want to keep that healthy and thriving and make sure we’ve got plenty of opportunities for our residents.”

That dual focus of supporting existing employers while pursuing new investment shapes nearly everything RCEDC does, from its incentive structure to its day-to-day outreach. It’s an approach built on the understanding that economic development isn’t just about landing headline-grabbing announcements, but about sustaining the businesses already contributing to the tax base and employing local residents.

Randolph County’s industrial base spans a wide range of sectors—automotive, aerospace, plastics, food and beverage, metals, furniture, and textiles among them—but one sector is generating more momentum than any other right now. “The automotive sector is big, with Toyota batteries in production now in our community,” says Franklin.

Toyota announced its investment in the county in 2021, and the ramp-up has been substantial ever since. The company has committed to more than 5,000 jobs, with roughly 3,000 already on site. That growth is ongoing, and according to Franklin, it’s having a positive impact community-wide.

The scale of the investment is significant not only for the jobs it creates directly, but for the ripple effects it generates throughout the local economy, from suppliers seeking proximity to the plant, to service industries supporting a growing workforce, to the broader signal it sends to other manufacturers considering the region. A project of this magnitude tends to validate a community’s readiness in the eyes of other site selectors, and Franklin and his team are clearly aware of the opportunity that presents.

The Toyota battery plant sits on the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite, an approximately 1,800-acre property that Toyota owns outright, alongside with a handful of on-site suppliers. The megasite was central to landing the deal in the first place. “That was a pretty big pitch,” Franklin says of the site’s role in the negotiations.

Megasites of this scale are rare, and they typically take years of coordinated planning among state and local agencies to prepare for a project of Toyota’s size. Having land ready for an operation with this footprint was a critical piece of the puzzle and it’s part of the reason RCEDC continues to emphasize site readiness as a priority for future growth.

Ask Franklin what draws manufacturers to Randolph County specifically, and a few themes emerge quickly: workforce, quality of life, and a long manufacturing heritage that has left the region with a strong labor pool.

“I think they’re coming for the workforce. I think they’re coming for quality of life as well,” he says. “And because we have such a high concentration of manufacturing, we’ve got a high manufacturing quotient for many of the sectors that we’re bringing in. So that means there are resources, there are suppliers, and there’s workforce.”

That manufacturing quotient, a measure of how concentrated an industry is in a given area relative to the national average, matters to companies evaluating where to locate or expand. A high quotient signals an established ecosystem of workers who already understand plant environments and production schedules, and a regional identity tied to industrial work. For companies weighing the risks of standing up a new facility, that kind of ecosystem can meaningfully reduce ramp-up time.

Location plays a significant role too. Randolph County sits centrally within North Carolina and along the East Coast more broadly, with direct access to interstates 73, 74, 85, and future I-685. The county is also within reach of I-95 and I-77. “It’s really quite a convergence from a transportation standpoint,” Franklin says. For manufacturers, that convergence translates directly into logistical efficiency, meaning shorter shipping times to both suppliers and customers and easier access for the workforce commuting from surrounding counties.

Rail infrastructure adds another layer of advantage, with Norfolk Southern operating multiple lines through the county. “Not every community has rail access,” Franklin says, “so that provides some unique opportunities as well.”

For heavier manufacturing operations, or those moving significant volumes of raw materials and finished goods, rail access can be a deciding factor that highway infrastructure alone can’t replace. It’s a differentiator RCEDC leans on when pitching the county to industries with rail-dependent supply chains, such as automotive and metals manufacturers.

Despite its many strengths, Franklin is candid about the challenges RCEDC faces when it comes to available real estate. As a legacy textile, furniture, and tobacco community, Randolph County has a substantial inventory of older industrial buildings but many weren’t built with today’s manufacturing operations in mind. “We do sometimes struggle with availability of ready-to-go sites and suitable buildings,” he says. “For example, the ceiling heights typically are not what our manufacturing operations today are looking for.”

This is a challenge familiar to many legacy manufacturing regions across the country. Buildings constructed decades ago for textile mills or furniture production were rarely designed with the clear-height requirements or automation infrastructure that modern manufacturers now expect. Retrofitting older stock can be costly, and in some cases, it’s more economical for a company to build new than to adapt an existing structure.

On the site development side, the picture is mixed. Some properties are closer to shovel-ready than others, and Franklin tells us the county doesn’t currently have a fully prepared shovel-ready site on offer, though that could change quickly with the right end user. Indeed, site readiness has become a decisive factor for many manufacturers, particularly those on compressed timelines, and communities without shovel-ready inventory can find themselves excluded from consideration before negotiations even begin. RCEDC recognizes this gap and is prepared to move quickly to close it when the right opportunity presents itself.

The workforce remains one of RCEDC’s central priorities, and its partnership with Randolph Community College plays a key role in addressing it. “We have a great partnership with Randolph Community College, and of course North Carolina is known for its customized industrial training program,” which gives the county a strong tool for preparing workers to meet the specific needs of incoming manufacturers. “We are talking with the community college on a weekly basis,” says Franklin.

That weekly communication points to a working relationship built on a continuous feedback loop between the organization recruiting employers and the institution responsible for preparing the workforce those employers will hire from. When a new company signs on, RCEDC and the community college can move quickly to design training that matches the operation’s specific needs, rather than relying on generic programs that may not translate directly to the plant floor.

Randolph Community College can help train the local workforce, but of course wages and workplace culture remain firmly in each company’s hands. “What we can’t control is culture and wages,” Franklin says. “The companies that are really focused on providing the right type of environment for their employees and paying them fairly generally don’t have trouble finding the right kind of applicants.” RCEDC can help build the pipeline, but it’s ultimately up to individual employers to make the jobs at the end of that pipeline attractive enough to fill.

For manufacturers considering Randolph County, RCEDC offers a structured set of incentives designed to support both new entrants and companies already established there. Performance-based cash incentives, typically structured over a five-year window, form the backbone of the offering. RCEDC calculates anticipated new taxable revenue from a company’s operations and negotiates a portion of that back to the business over time.

“We also work closely with the state of North Carolina for grants and incentives at the state level,” Franklin says. “Some of those require matches from the local governments, and we participate in those.”

For companies eyeing vacant buildings that need upfitting, RCEDC has had success securing state grant dollars to support renovations, administered on a per-job basis. Training support is available as well, through customized grants developed in partnership with the community college. “We can put a plan together through the community college to help with that training even over a three-year period,” says Franklin.

This layered approach to incentives gives RCEDC multiple levers to pull depending on a company’s specific circumstances. Rather than offering a single, one-size-fits-all package, the organization tailors its support to the size and needs of each business, whether that’s a multinational automaker or a small manufacturer looking to expand its footprint.

RCEDC’s support doesn’t stop once a company sets up operations. The organization’s existing industry program, built around outreach and ongoing connections to resources, is one of its most important functions. “Let’s get the new company here and then continue to support them through our existing industry programs,” Franklin says.

That ongoing relationship is, in many ways, the quieter half of RCEDC’s work. Recruitment announcements generate headlines, but retention and expansion, keeping existing employers satisfied and growing, often matter more to a region’s long-term economic health.

On the smaller end of the scale, the City of Asheboro has recently introduced small business grants aimed at companies that may not qualify for larger state-level programs. “When they fall in that gap, if they’re growing, adding jobs, adding tax base, there’s an opportunity to capture some incentive dollars, grant dollars on a much smaller scale,” Franklin explains. That gap-filling function matters for a community like Randolph County, where not every employer is a Toyota-scale operation. Smaller manufacturers and family-owned businesses make up a meaningful share of the local economy, and ensuring they have access to growth capital, even in modest amounts, helps keep that segment of the industrial base healthy.

RCEDC sees the county’s manufacturing base continuing to shift toward higher-skill, higher-automation operations over the next five years, with particular opportunity in metals, plastics, and additional automotive-related industries. “We’re definitely moving in the advanced manufacturing direction—more automation, more highly skilled workers—which is beneficial because that means they’re receiving higher pay and better benefits,” Franklin says.

This trajectory mirrors a broader pattern playing out across manufacturing hubs nationally as automation reshapes the skills required on the plant floor and pushes wages upward for workers equipped to operate and maintain increasingly sophisticated equipment. For Randolph County, positioning itself at the front of that shift could prove to be a defining factor in the type of investment the region attracts over the next decade.

RCEDC operates with a small but dedicated team, with three full-time staff members and one part-time. Kevin Franklin leads the organization, with Crystal Gettys serving as Business Recruitment Director, focused on bringing new business to the county and working with property owners to bring new products onto the market. David Hursey serves as Existing Industry Director, interfacing daily with local industry to ensure companies have the resources and connections they need to thrive. Malynda Shumaker, working part-time, manages the organization’s financial operations.

Such a lean structure means each team member wears multiple hats, and it speaks to the level of coordination required to run an organization responsible for both landing large-scale investments and maintaining relationships with the county’s smaller, established manufacturers.

With a strong industrial base and a clear strategy for workforce development and incentive support, Randolph County—and the RCEDC team guiding its growth—is positioning itself for a new era of advanced manufacturing.

The post Built to Grow<p class="company">Randolph County, North Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Located within the Charlotte metropolitan region, Monroe has established its own identity as a center for manufacturing, industry, and employment. Companies benefit from access to the greater Charlotte market while operating in a community with an established industrial base; transportation connectivity through I-485, U.S. 74, and the Monroe Expressway; Charlotte Monroe Executive Airport; and the infrastructure necessary to support business growth.

“One of Monroe’s greatest advantages is our ability to work directly with companies as they navigate the development process,” says Campo. “The city is a one-stop development shop including planning and zoning, permitting, engineering, fire, and stormwater. Monroe also owns and operates its electric, water, sewer, and natural gas systems.”

While Monroe maintains an average 10-day turnaround standard for complete commercial permit submissions, speed alone does not define good economic development. It’s also about having access to people who will answer questions, identify potential obstacles, and work toward solutions.

“That is the Office of Economic Development’s opportunity to serve,” Campo stresses. “When a prospect comes to Monroe, we want to understand the entire project, not simply how many acres or square feet the company needs. We want to understand its utility requirements, transportation needs, workforce, investment, timeline, and plans for future growth. That allows us to ask a much more important question: What does this company need to be successful here?”

Answering that question requires partnership, and Economic Development strives to connect businesses with the right resources, whether bringing city departments together around a development issue, connecting an employer with South Piedmont Community College and the Centralina Workforce Development Board, or helping a company become part of the broader business community through organizations such as the Union County Chamber of Commerce.

“We place that same emphasis on our existing industries,” says Campo. “A project announcement is important, but it’s only the beginning of the relationship. The true measure of a business environment comes in the years that follow as companies hire employees, invest in equipment, expand production, and respond to changes in their industries.”

SEECO (Southern Electrical Equipment Company) is one example of a recent successful partnership that came about when its existing footprint became a constraint on its growth in Charlotte and in Indian Trail. “We knew we needed more space, but we didn’t want to just move into another building and find ourselves having the same conversation again in five years,” says Advisory Board Member, Christie Panto. “We wanted to make a decision that would give SEECO room to grow for the next 10, 20, and 30 years.”

The opportunity in Monroe allowed SEECO to consolidate operations into one much larger facility, with both the land and flexibility to improve the way people, operations, inventory, and equipment work together. “The Monroe facility gave us approximately 109,000 square feet in a new facility that we could make work for our operation, rather than trying to make an older, more expensive building work around us,” Panto says. “We wanted room to expand, and we wanted opportunities nearby that could support additional growth down the road.” Monroe made sense for practical reasons: the cost, the facility, the land, and the opportunity to grow.

Monroe was also a reasonable geographic compromise, offering a location with good access to major roads for those who wanted to commute while also being a community where employees could choose to live if they wanted to relocate closer to work with good schools and overall affordability.

Working with local officials and economic-development partners was nothing but positive and productive, Panto adds. “It was one of the nicest surprises of the whole experience. We had great cooperation from the City of Monroe, Union County, the Chamber, and our local education and workforce development partners,” she says. “There was a genuine interest in understanding what we were trying to accomplish and figuring out how everyone could help make it happen. We found a partnership with this community that understood the importance of growing manufacturing. When one of us succeeds, we all do.”

While SEECO came to Monroe because the business case made sense, what they found was so much more. “We didn’t necessarily anticipate how much we would appreciate the community itself,” Panto says. “Don’t underestimate the value of finding a community that actually wants you there.”

While SEECO is a new partnership, MacLean Power Systems’ Monroe Operation—previously known as ITEC, a manufacturer of instrument transformers essential to the modern electrical grid—has been a proud part of the local community for more than 20 years. “Monroe is where we have built our team, expanded our capabilities, invested in our operation, and created opportunities for employees to create rewarding, long-term careers,” says Greggie Mull, Human Resources Manager. “Our growth has brought increased investment in machinery and equipment, employee development, and workforce training. We have also gained additional training resources through our partnership with South Piedmont Community College.”

MacLean’s workforce includes employees from diverse backgrounds and a broad workforce that includes people from the Charlotte area, Lancaster and Pageland in South Carolina, and other surrounding communities, an important strength of its operation. Additionally, the Monroe Expressway has improved transportation routes for shipping products and made it easier to reach potential employees across the region, important connections for a company committed to operating, investing, and hiring in Monroe for the long term.

As the Monroe operation has grown, connection to the community has grown with it, Mull adds. “While many local residents still know us as ITEC, we are proud to be part of MacLean Power Systems and remain committed to investing in Monroe and the surrounding region.”

MacLean relies on local talent to manufacture products and values partnerships with organizations such as South Piedmont Community College, which helps develop the next generation of skilled manufacturing professionals. Continued collaboration among employers, educational institutions, economic development organizations, and other community partners will help Monroe remain a place where manufacturers can invest, grow, and succeed.

“For our Monroe operation, modern manufacturing requires continued investment in technology, stronger and more efficient processes, and increased opportunities for employees to develop their skills,” says Mull. “Local education and workforce-training partners are an important part of that continued progress.”

That partnership between education and manufacturing plays a key role in Monroe. In fact, South Piedmont Community College views its manufacturers as true partners in workforce development, working directly with local employers to understand workforce needs, identify skill gaps, and respond with the right training solutions—from curriculum programs and short-term credentials to customized training.

“We also support manufacturing apprenticeships and help employers strengthen their recruitment and talent pipelines,” says South Piedmont Community College President, Dr. Stacy Waters-Bailey. “We are committed to being a trusted, reliable partner to our manufacturing industry.”

As speed and responsiveness are critical in today’s economy, South Piedmont Community College works directly with employers to quickly develop customized workforce solutions that address their specific needs. In many cases, this means moving from identifying a workforce challenge to launching training within days.

“Our goal is to remove barriers for our local manufacturing partners and help them respond quickly to changing business demands,” says Waters-Bailey. “Our employers have a direct voice in shaping what we do. Through advisory committees, employer surveys, and ongoing conversations with industry, we listen closely to what businesses are seeing and experiencing.” This feedback helps to continually refine programs so graduates are prepared for the jobs and technology that employers need today and will need tomorrow, benefiting not only employers but also students, as they can be assured that they are receiving industry-relevant training at South Piedmont Community College.

To that end, the college works hand-in-hand with industry to deliver both credit and short-term, non-credit programs that provide students with the technical expertise, practical experience, and durable skills area employers value, says Waters-Bailey. “Our goal is straightforward: to ensure our students are ready to contribute, grow, and lead in the workforce.”

When it comes to the independent business-community voice, the Union County Chamber of Commerce champions business growth throughout Monroe and Union County through advocacy, economic development, and collaboration, striving to maintain the region’s momentum by strengthening relationships between businesses and partners in government and education.

“Monroe’s diverse industry base makes this work easier by creating opportunities for talented individuals in nearly any industry imaginable,” says President and CEO, Clayton Whitson. “The Monroe area is unique in that business, government, nonprofit, and education partners collaborate with a goal of mutual success.” That collaborative spirit, coupled with the geography that places the Chamber in proximity to a major metro, access to ports and rail, and an ever-growing workforce base, gives companies a real strategic advantage in the marketplace.

The Chamber places a large emphasis on relationships with businesses, Whitson adds. As new businesses enter the market, the Chamber connects with the community in a variety of ways, particularly with the existing business network through Chamber programming. “We tailor our programming to continually provide content that will address areas of ongoing need for our employers, such as environmental health and safety or workforce development,” he explains. “Getting professionals connected to these groups provides peer support for current and future needs and strengthens ties to the community.” The Chamber then communicates needs and opportunities to community partners involved with business retention and expansion efforts.

“North Carolina has always had a business-friendly reputation, and that doesn’t happen by accident,” Whitson says. “The Chamber’s advocacy and public policy work with governmental units at every level to ensure we’re creating an environment where our companies can thrive and continue to provide economic opportunities for our friends and neighbors. Our businesses understand this value and actively provide feedback to guide our public policy work.”

Finally, working to establish that Monroe has access to a regional workforce system, not merely the labor force contained within the city limits, the Centralina Workforce Development Board understands that workforce development starts by understanding exactly what an employer needs and then connecting that employer to the appropriate resources.

As labor markets cross municipal boundaries, workforce professionals can engage companies during recruitment as well as after they locate, and employer needs—occupations, skills, wages, recruitment timelines, and training—should drive the workforce response. “The Centralina WDB and its local NCWorks Career Center in Monroe provide talent recruitment and retention services for employers and career advising, training, and placement services for career seekers,” says David Hollars, Executive Director, Centralina Workforce Development Board. “We work with local partners in developing a regional talent pipeline through the MonroeWorks initiative with the city.”

The Centralina WDB is also actively involved in Our Future in UNiSON—addressing career pathway development and increasing the number of individuals with post-secondary degrees, certificates, and certifications—and with Union JobReady and the Chamber’s Workforce Development Committee in developing strong career guidance, knowledge, and work-based learning opportunities for students in the local middle and high schools.

“These companies and organizations demonstrate different parts of our partnership,” says Campo, adding that SEECO offers the perspective of a manufacturer that recently chose Monroe, while MacLean Power Systems provides the perspective of an employer with approximately two decades of area experience. “Our Chamber, workforce, and education partners demonstrate the network that supports businesses before and after a location decision.”

For Monroe Economic Development, the responsibility does not end when a company selects a site or opens its doors, she adds. “We want to be there for the next expansion, the next workforce challenge, and the next opportunity. We want businesses to choose Monroe, and to have every reason to choose Monroe again when it’s time to make their next investment.”

The post Where Business Location Becomes Business Partnership<p class="company">City of Monroe, North Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

As Asheville experienced downtown revitalization and population growth, the EDC helped position the region for long-term economic competitiveness. Over time, the EDC implemented a five-year collaborative economic development strategy to help guide the region’s efforts to advance economic prosperity.

The EDC is bound by five key strategies to meet its goals. The first is retaining and expanding manufacturing in the area, a classic cornerstone of the area’s economic fortunes. Second is targeted industry recruitment to bring workers and job-makers to the area and help increase wages in strategic growth sectors. Third is entrepreneurial strategy, especially through initiatives like Venture Asheville and programs like the Optimist Ventures Accelerator, both of which look to marry world-class mentorship with capital to benefit start-ups. EDC Executive Director, Clark Duncan, says that the EDC has been engaged in this kind of work for half its lifetime and describes entrepreneurship as economic gardening for the headquarters of tomorrow.

The two final EDC strategies are workforce development and economic research. As a relatively prosperous county, Buncombe wants to expand economic participation through strategic thinking with its grassroots partners to close the gaps that prevent people from seizing economic opportunities for themselves. For its efforts, EDC has been awarded accreditation and notable distinctions like being named Economic Development Organization of the Year by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), in August 2026.

The EDC’s strategies will continue to be put to good use as the coalition has begun its five-year plan, AVL5X5 for 2030, this year. The plan outlines priorities for various industry clusters, workforce needs, goals for infrastructure, and business attraction strategies. It also represents a more disciplined approach to economic development activities for the coalition. AVL5X5 will aim to have an impact on the areas of Western North Carolina served by the EDC and bring more business attention to the area.

Certainly, there is a lot to be found in the area if one looks closer. “We have generational strength in our workforce, tied to the automotive and aerospace industries,” Duncan says of Asheville-Buncombe County’s ongoing workforce strengths in precision machining. The region is within a 45- to 90-minute drive of major auto industry figures like BMW, Nissan, and Volkswagen and has also seen a 65 percent growth in aircraft parts manufacturing in the last decade thanks to multinational employers like GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney. The mountains of Western North Carolina, despite being challenging terrain for some, offer between 10- and 100-acre land parcels for potential businesses looking to tap into the talent of the region.

Along with its growing reputation as a destination for the arts, travel, and outdoor adventure, Asheville has enjoyed a string of economic success stories throughout its decades. From locally headquartered manufacturers like AVL Technologies and Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn to multinational investment in power generation, medical device, automotive, and aerospace innovation, the region is focused on what comes next.

In recent years, the economic trajectory of the region has been fueled by the investments of jet-engine maker, Pratt & Whitney. In what remains the largest project announcement in the state of North Carolina west of Charlotte, the company pledged to build a turbine airfoil manufacturing facility in the prestigious Biltmore Park West Development, constructing a 1.2-million-square-foot facility on a 100-acre site in just under two years.

This commitment helped Asheville and Buncombe County open a 900-acre commercial, industrial, and research park, while Pratt & Whitney has gone on to exceed its investment, job-count promise, and prevailing wage rate. To date, the company has invested more than $1 billion in the state-of-the-art facility and employs over 1,000 residents of the region. Duncan attributes this success to both the availability of talent in the necessary fields (STEM, engineering, production) and an innovative partnership of six regional community colleges and the successful training programs of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

An exciting stop on the community’s road ahead is the announcement of the Futures Factory in Summer of 2026. The 70,000-square-foot facility will serve as a regional hub for industry innovation and an advanced manufacturing workforce training center. Dr. John Gossett, President of the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, has been a leader in the efforts to make this vision a reality. According to Gossett, 25 percent of the space will offer customized training for new and expanding industry, with the remaining area used for leading manufacturers to access research and development and the expertise of the statewide post-secondary institutions to solve complex problems and remain competitive in the face of changing technological and global pressures.

As a signature proposal of the AVL 5×5 Plan, the Futures Factory represents an investment of around $45 million, with construction given a 2030 deadline to coincide with the timeline of the economic strategy. The Futures Factory will be a powerful tool for industry retention and recruitment and will help the area’s manufacturing workplaces modernize and adopt globally competitive practices like AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and more.

The Futures Factory will provide an opportunity for manufacturers to come to the area to create their product with a lot of help to call on, Gossett says. “Manufacturing is a part of who we are, a foundation of our past and a cornerstone of our future.”

This is a time of demographic shifts and challenges both nationally and globally, a state that was further exacerbated by the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, even during the most difficult times, the area has been able to rally thanks to the efforts of the EDC and partners in the public and private sectors with a shared ambition to grow economic prosperity for the mountainous region.

2026 marks the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, a tropical cyclone that struck the area in September 2024. In the ensuing time, seven industry expansions have been announced in Asheville and Buncombe County, from worldwide employers like GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney, to locally headquartered manufacturers like Southeastern Container and East Fork. In total, these announcements represent an aggregate of over $400 million in new capital investment and over 800 net new jobs in advanced manufacturing, demonstrating strong confidence in the region.

In addition, the Asheville Regional Airport, the third-busiest airport in the state of North Carolina, is in the process of doubling its size and growing direct flight service. With construction expected to conclude by end of 2027, this ongoing expansion will double the square footage of the terminal and double the number of gates, facilitating even more travel for business and residents.

To be sure, industry growth and investment in the Asheville-Buncombe County area shows no signs of slowing down. As the county continues to navigate economic and demographic shifts, the EDC’s work remains essential to sustaining the region’s momentum and ensuring that its prosperity extends community-wide. From attracting major advanced manufacturing investments and strengthening workforce development to supporting local entrepreneurs and helping established businesses evolve, the EDC’s approach reflects a recognition that lasting economic growth depends on more than individual projects or investment announcements; it requires a coordinated effort to connect businesses with the talent, infrastructure, research, and resources they need to compete and grow in a rapidly changing global economy.

EDC Board Chair, Carol Nguyen Steen, notes that economic development was top of mind for the region, its elected leadership, industry leaders, and education partners in the drafting of the most recent iteration of the AVL 5×5 Strategy. As Vice President for the legacy community development and real estate firm, Biltmore Farms LLC, Steen underscores how regional assets, talent, and investment come together to drive economic opportunity and make a better tomorrow for the area.

As a local, she believes that the culture of trust and unity within Asheville and Buncombe County is unlike any other, adding that the EDC collaborates with multiple organizations across the county to both overcome economic challenges as well as seize opportunities unique to the region. “The value of people working together is so understood in this community,” she says.

Initiatives like AVL5X5 and the Futures Factory will help lay the groundwork for that next phase of development, positioning the region to embrace emerging technologies while building on its longstanding manufacturing strengths. Just as importantly, the partnerships that have helped Asheville-Buncombe County weather economic uncertainty and recover from significant challenges demonstrate the value of a community working toward shared goals. With new investment taking shape, established industries continuing to expand, and opportunities emerging for the next generation of businesses and workers, the region is building on its history while preparing for what lies ahead.

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The Person County Economic Development Department and the Economic Development Commission operate as separate bodies under the same county umbrella, working in close coordination. The department is staffed by county employees, while the commission functions as an advisory board made up of community and local government representatives including representation from the City of Roxboro, Person County’s only municipality, the public school system, and Piedmont Community College, alongside an agricultural representative, a minority-business representative, a real estate developer, and several members at large.

Bryan Eatmon, Interim Director of the Person County Economic Development Department, has spent two and a half years with the department, most of that time as its Existing Industry Specialist before stepping into the Interim Director role a few months ago. “My role was to support existing business and industry, so finding out what their needs are, their challenges, their strengths, and trying to connect them,” Eatmon says of his earlier position. Much of that work involved linking companies to resources to help them develop their workforce or navigate new legislation. As Interim Director, Eatmon now also leads recruitment of new business alongside existing-industry support.

Manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, and utilities all rank among Person County’s key industries today, according to Eatmon. Two Duke Energy power plants operate within the county, employing a large workforce at wages well above the county average. But manufacturing carries a particular importance for local economic development.

“Manufacturing has a pretty substantial ripple effect within the economy,” Eatmon says. Manufacturers draw on local service companies for maintenance work and rely on regional transportation and logistics providers, multiplying the economic benefit of each new facility. Person County’s economic development team is actively working to attract more manufacturing investment for just that reason.

No company illustrates the payoff of that strategy better than POLYWOOD®, the outdoor furniture manufacturer that has become one of Person County’s largest employers. Sherry Wilborn, Chair of the Person County Economic Development Commission and a Person County Commissioner, was serving as Economic Development Director when the company was recruited to the county and worked closely on the project.

Person County was competing against a site on an interstate in South Carolina. “The building had everything they needed in a great location,” Wilborn says of the competing site. Ultimately, though, it was Person County’s workforce that tipped the decision. The project manager for the company said many times, including in the official announcement, that the building brought POLYWOOD to Person County, but its people made the company choose to stay.

That choice has paid dividends for the county. POLYWOOD has since more than doubled its campus footprint and its employment, now counting more than 600 workers. “That just speaks to the fact that that was the right choice,” Wilborn says.

Person County’s manufacturing base also includes companies with deep roots in the community that are finding new life under fresh ownership. North American Aerodynamics has manufactured parachutes in Roxboro for more than six decades, producing canopies for military, sport, and humanitarian use. Following a season of changing business conditions, the company was acquired by Roberto Montañez, an aerospace engineer who also owns Butler Parachute Systems in Roanoke, Virginia.

Eatmon, in his former role as Existing Industry Specialist, worked directly with the new ownership during the transition. “A lot of companies are a little hesitant to disclose a lot of information, just because they’re privately held,” he says. Even so, he made repeated visits to the facility, meeting with management and ownership to identify the company’s needs.

Workforce quickly emerged as the central challenge. North American Aerodynamics’ work depends on skilled sewing labor and finding workers with that background has not been easy. Even so, the company has grown its workforce from roughly 35 employees at the time of acquisition to about 80 today. Eatmon credits sustained relationship-building for that growth. “We remind them that we’re here to help and find creative ways to get them what they need,” he says.

As a rural county, Person County has ample land, but Eatmon is candid about a gap in its site inventory. Older sites once used for manufacturing remain available, but many no longer match what advanced manufacturers are looking for today. Years of effort went into developing the megasite in the northern part of the county, the site Microsoft ultimately purchased, and that focus came at a cost.

“A lot of eggs were put in that basket for a number of years,” Eatmon says, and while the Microsoft project stands as a major win, it also meant that development of smaller sites, in the range of 50 to 200 acres, received less attention during that period. The department and commission have since recognized the gap and are now working on a site selection analysis in partnership with Duke Energy, with a goal of completing the analysis by the end of October.

“That way we can push forward to getting some public control of some sites and doing the site work necessary to have a better inventory of available sites to attract further investment to Person County,” Eatmon says.

Wilborn sees the shortage as a byproduct of the county’s own wins. “We find ourselves in the position we’re in because of successes,” she says. A 26-acre site was quickly claimed by an existing industry, and the megasite was purchased by an internationally known company in Microsoft. “We have, like Bryan said, prioritized getting ready for the next one.”

Location matters enormously to manufacturers, and Eatmon points to several assets that position Person County well for distribution-dependent operations. U.S. Highway 501 runs north-south through the county and U.S. Highway 158 runs east-west with both connecting directly to Interstate 85. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is roughly 45 minutes from Roxboro, and Person County’s own Raleigh Regional Airport, a general aviation facility rather than a commercial one, boasts one of the longest runways for a general aviation airport in North Carolina at roughly 6,005 feet, with plans to extend it to about 6,800 feet. The airport can currently accommodate a DC-9-class aircraft, giving cargo operations meaningful capacity.

Rail service also runs through the northern part of the county toward South Boston, Virginia. While the absence of a direct interstate through the county puts Person County at a disadvantage relative to some competitors, Eatmon says its highway connections largely offset that gap. Geographically, the county sits between Durham and the Research Triangle Park to the south and Danville, Virginia, a proximity that gives it access to a large pool of highly skilled, highly educated potential employees.

Workforce development runs through three core partners—Person County Schools, Piedmont Community College, and NC State University’s Industry Extension Service. Career and technical education programs in the public schools introduce students to the basics of skilled trades, and the county’s annual Manufacturing Week, held in the first week of October, brings students into local manufacturing facilities to see modern operations firsthand.

“There has been a perception of manufacturing from years ago in which manufacturing was perceived as a dirty, dangerous job with long hours, very repetitive work. That is no longer the case,” Eatmon says. “It is clean, it is safe, it is well-paying, and it’s interesting; it takes a lot of technology and a very unique skill set to operate and work in a manufacturing facility.”

Piedmont Community College offers a range of programs geared toward manufacturing careers, including mechatronics coursework that blends mechanical and electrical engineering. Students frequently secure job offers before completing their programs, and the college’s work-based learning opportunities let students gain real-world experience with local manufacturers while still enrolled. The college also provides customized training for companies adopting new equipment or systems, along with OSHA and safety training.

NC State University’s Industry Extension Services, led locally by Research Triangle Regional Manager, Mitch Poteat, rounds out the county’s workforce resources with leadership training for supervisors, lean-process implementation support, and networking opportunities focused specifically on the manufacturing sector.

Wilborn notes that the commission was deliberately structured to keep education and industry connected. “We have on our EDC, intentionally, [representation from] the community college, the Superintendent of Person County Schools, and the Dean of Workforce Development at the community college,” she says. “We try to utilize our relationships and their relationships, so we can see firsthand when things are moving and shifting in industry and we can react.”

Beyond its strong business case, Person County’s team points to lifestyle as a genuine draw for businesses, individuals, and families. Mayo Lake Park and Hyco Lake offer boating, swimming, and fishing, and the county recently completed a 281-acre park in its southern end for mountain biking and hiking, a regional attraction in its own right. Land prices remain lower than in neighboring, more densely populated counties, and Eatmon describes a slower, close-knit pace of life: “We have a rural community,” he says. “We’re small enough where people know each other, they know their neighbors. It’s not as fast-paced, and we don’t have traffic problems on a commute.”

A Duke LifePoint hospital provides local medical care, while proximity to Durham and Raleigh keeps additional services within easy reach. Wilborn, a Person County native, and Eatmon, who relocated to the area several years ago, both point to a work ethic rooted in the county’s agricultural history. “Our agricultural roots mean we have a strong work ethic,” Wilborn says. “You’ll find people here that are good and welcoming and hardworking, and I think that’s kind of our secret sauce.”

For Wilborn, the county’s recent wins reflect a broader lesson about rural economic development. “You can come to a rural community and find the infrastructure you need, find the workforce that you need, and find the support, maybe even more so at the local level, to be successful,” she says.

Eatmon echoes that commitment to the companies the county recruits. “Once a company comes here, they’re getting a bit of a concierge treatment, because they are important to us and we know the value of a company that decides to come here and wants to invest here,” he says. “We want them to be part of this community. We want them to stay here.”

With a megasite already claimed by Microsoft and a legacy manufacturer rebuilding under new ownership, Person County’s economic development leadership is positioning the community for its next chapter of growth.

The post Manufacturing Momentum: Two Entities, One Mission<p class="company">Person County, North Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

The city is home to several important sites, including the historic Georgian Chowan County Courthouse, built in 1767; the Cupola House (built in 1756-1758, now a museum and one of the first preservation movements in North Carolina); St. Paul’s Church (built in 1760); and other notable buildings. Edenton’s downtown is recognized for its many businesses, including diverse retail options, restaurants, bars, and law offices serving not only the city, but Chowan County.

During Colonial times, Edenton was a well-protected port city and a key trade center for tobacco, timber, and other products, with over 350 merchant ships carrying goods annually. Other industries established themselves, especially agriculture, peanut farming, fishing, and cotton mills. Developed from 1899 to 1923, the Edenton Cotton Mill was an important employer.

“My mom actually worked there when she was pregnant with me in the ’90s,” says Executive Director of Main Street Edenton and Lead Economic Developer for Edenton Chowan Partnership (ECP), James ‘Ches’ Chesson, of the mill. Closed in 1995, the mill and its surrounding village, comprising 44 acres, were donated to Preservation North Carolina and underwent significant, thoughtful renovations with an eye toward primarily residential uses. “Through the use of PNC’s protective covenants, the neighborhood retains a high degree of its original architectural and landscape fabric today,” writes Preservation North Carolina. “The project demonstrated the incredible economic impact of community re-investment through historic preservation and the use of historic tax credits.”

“Historic Preservation is good for business in Edenton, and we are one of the highest per capita users of historic tax credits,” says Chesson. “Historic preservation and tourism are large parts of the modern economy, coupled with established industries who have made the decision to stay and grow in Edenton.”

Born and raised in Edenton, Chesson attended the Naval Academy to complete his undergraduate degree and then earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Serving as a Naval Aviator for 11 years, he returned to his hometown in 2023 following his service. Entering the economic development world, Chesson began working at Main Street Edenton. In late 2024, he expanded his role as Executive Director of Main Street Edenton and acts as the Lead Economic Developer for the Edenton Chowan Partnership.

“Business and government are intertwined, creating a dynamic public-private partnership that is growing the community and expanding our reach,” states the Edenton Chowan Partnership on its website, adding, “There’s a reason why so many people are flocking to Edenton and Chowan County.”

Businesses choose Edenton for its location, infrastructure, workforce, and quality of life. Edenton and Chowan County offer a combination of industrial sites, waterfront access, transportation assets, an established manufacturing base, and a quality of life that appeals to businesses looking to establish or expand their operations.

Mindful of its storied agricultural past—with landmark companies like peanut roaster Jimbo’s Jumbos/Hampton Farms—the area also welcomes other manufacturers and industries, many on Peanut Drive. The area’s first industrial zone boasts diversified businesses calling the site home. These include family-owned sport fishing boat maker Regulator Marine, Fortune 500 company Olam Edible Nuts, food safety and testing specialists JLA International, Inc., and the corporate offices of multi-million-dollar company Colony Tire.

Along with Peanut Drive, the area is home to the Northeastern Regional Airport and Industrial Park. A former WWII military airfield and now owned by the town, Phase 1 of the site is fully occupied. Phase 2, owned by the partnership, is marketed to recruit new companies and grow existing businesses. Some of the location’s many benefits include a 6,000’ x 100’ paved runway capable of handling aircraft the size of a 737 as well as private aircraft, weather reconnaissance aircraft, and local crop dusters; a refueling terminal; overnight accommodations; and more. The airport’s prime location is also within driving distance to Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Raleigh-Durham, and Greenville.

Some sectors that Chesson and his team are focused on bringing to Edenton are advanced manufacturing and boat-building and related businesses. Last year, the partnership saw the arrival of The Whiskey Project Group (TWPG), which launched a U.S. manufacturing base and expanded its NAiAD commercial vessel range in North Carolina.

Opening a new manufacturing facility in Edenton “marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to the American market and will serve as the primary hub for the build and delivery of its full NAiAD commercial vessel range across the Americas,” stated TWPG in a media release. On a fully integrated, 50-acre site along the Chowan River, the new American base “will not only enhance service capabilities but also streamline the delivery of NAiAD’s rugged, operator-focused Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) to commercial and governmental clients across North and South America. The facility is a vital part of TWPG’s mission to provide its customers with a competitive advantage through superior design, innovation, and localized support.”

Describing the manufacturing presence in Edenton as a “pivotal moment” for The Whiskey Project Group, CEO Darren Schuback added: “This is more than just a new facility; it’s a commitment to our American customers and partners. We are bringing our proven expertise and a legacy of building the world’s most capable watercraft directly to the U.S. market, with the ability to offer build slots now to meet the growing demand for our vessels.”

For the Edenton community, the facility will create skilled jobs and honor the area’s legendary maritime past. And as makers of next-generation tactical watercraft, TWPG is also initiating a big push toward a greater presence of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) related businesses, including testing boats.

“We’re making a concerted effort to attract businesses serving the Maritime Industrial Base,” Chesson explains. “We are in an ideal location on the waterway, on the Chowan River and the Albemarle Sound, plus our proximity to Norfolk, the Hampton Road shipyards, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The Riverbulk Terminal, a barge company in Edenton, has the ability to move large pieces of equipment up and down the East Coast. That’s a big value-add we are targeting.”

For the Edenton Chowan Partnership, retaining existing companies is as important as welcoming new ones. This is often done through ECP, EDPNC, and NC Commerce through Building Reuse Grants and other incentives; the partnership is there to help. “We leverage our relationship with all our regional partners to create competitive incentive packages, help facilitate conversations with landowners and building owners, and support workforce development with our community college systems and high schools,” says Chesson.

“The high school system and community college system are very adept at responding to industry needs,” he says. “Programs are dictated by businesses, and North Carolina boasts one of the strongest Community College systems in the nation. The community colleges have budgets from the state to help with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training, forklift training, and other customized trainings. If an industry partner has trouble finding labor skilled in fiberglass or epoxy, for example, the community colleges can respond and set up a customized training program,” he explains. “We act as the conduit or the connector between local businesses and industry to make sure their workforce pipeline is healthy. How can we help make it better? How can we connect them with the necessary training that they’re needing, or anything they’re lacking?”

As Director of Main Street Edenton, Chesson is proud of the city’s unique historic downtowns and the associated efforts aimed at preservation. These initiatives encompass everything from sidewalk beautification and new lighting to helping local business owners with historic tax credits when they are tackling renovations. “We also maintain retail leakage analysis, so when we have a new business interested in downtown, we can help them make sure they’re going to be sustainable for the long haul.” There is also a robust historic commission headquartered downtown in charge of restoring some older properties, including managing grants and donations to restore and preserve old historic homes and buildings that are open to the public.

With so much to offer businesses and residents, Edenton and Chowan are also popular with tourists. And, like many communities across the U.S., housing is always top of mind, resulting in several ongoing housing developments including getting a multifamily project through the development pipeline and transforming a brownfield site into housing for teachers and other city employees.

“A big piece of what we’ve been working on is being very intentional about how we grow and diversify our local economy,” says Chesson. “We’re not looking for the next 1,000-employee site selection; we want to be intentional about bringing in employers who are going to be here for the long haul, who are looking to integrate with our culture, our quality of life, and want to embrace the community. We will continue making Edenton and Chowan County a place where people want to come, do business, and thrive.”

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