Press Releases

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 98 of North Carolina’s counties in September 2023 and increased in two. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 5.6 percent while Swain and Buncombe Counties each had the lowest at 2.5 percent. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 4.5 percent while Asheville had the lowest at 2.7 percent. The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.2 percent.

Toyota has announced plans to invest an additional $8 billion in its electric battery manufacturing site in Randolph County, including hiring another 3,000 employees. This historic announcement comes on the heels of Governor Cooper’s meeting with Toyota President Koji Sato during the SEUS/Japan Conference in Tokyo earlier this month. Toyota’s total investment in the Randolph County site will now total $13.9 billion and more than 5,000 jobs.

Epsilon Advanced Materials, Inc., a global provider of synthetic graphite used in electric vehicle batteries, will build its first manufacturing facility in the United States in Brunswick County, creating 500 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The Indian-based company will invest $649.9 million at the Mid-Atlantic Rail Industrial Park.

The state’s seasonally adjusted September 2023 unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, an increase of 0.1 of a percentage point from August’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 3.8 percent.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved seven grant requests to local governments totaling $2,639,793, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 321 jobs, 191 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $53.7 million in private investment.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper continued to meet with business leaders in Tokyo and delivered remarks at the Southeast U.S./Japan Association (SEUS/Japan) meeting closing ceremony. The Governor was joined by NC Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders and Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Chair Chris Chung.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that a reentry partnership, an HVAC contractor, an auto repair shop and five individual North Carolinians have won NCWorks Awards of Distinction for outstanding accomplishments and contributions related to workforce development. The recipients were recognized on Thursday, Oct. 12, during a ceremony held in Greensboro as part of the 36th annual NCWorks Partnership Conference.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper attended the Southeast U.S./Japan Association (SEUS/Japan) meeting in Tokyo and met with business and political leaders to discuss North Carolina’s partnership with Japanese businesses and the country. The Governor was joined by NC Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders and Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Chair Chris Chung, along with other economic development leaders. With 35 attendees, this is the largest delegation that North Carolina has ever brought to a Tokyo meeting.

Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded a $10 million grant to The Industrial Commons, an industry focused nonprofit in western North Carolina. The grant will help build a 40,000-square-foot green textile manufacturing hub in Burke County.“North Carolina has a rich legacy in textile manufacturing and innovation,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “This investment will help strengthen our textile economy and grow our nonwovens manufacturing workforce which is the largest in the nation.”

Governor Roy Cooper will lead a North Carolina delegation to Japan from October 11 – 15 to the annual Southeastern United States/Japan (SEUS/Japan) Economic Development Conference in Tokyo to recruit industry and meet with business leaders and others.