Press Releases

Steel Warehouse Company, a leading steel service center, will create 58 new jobs in Catawba County, Governor Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $30.5 million to locate a state-of-the-art facility in the City of Hickory.“North Carolina’s reputation as the best state for business continues to attract industry leaders to operate in our state,” said Governor Cooper. “Our central East Coast location, affordability, and world-class workforce will greatly benefit Steel Warehouse in this next phase of growth in Hickory.”

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Toyota will serve as the title sponsor for the upcoming Southeast U.S./Japan Annual Joint Meeting (“SEUS/Japan”), an important economic development conference aimed at increasing Japanese investment in North Carolina and the Southeastern United States.  The conference will convene in Charlotte, October 27-29, 2024.

The 2024 North Carolina Main Street Conference is bringing community and economic development leaders together March 12-14 in downtown Goldsboro. The three-day annual conference, which is organized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its N.C.

North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders today announced a new grant program to support the revitalization of downtown districts in the state’s rural communities.  The Department’s Rural Economic Development Division is now accepting applications from local governments for the Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant program.Grants will be awarded by the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority beginning with its April 2024 board meeting and the initial application period for these grants closes at 5:00pm on Monday, April 1, 2024.

Drylock Technologies, a leading manufacturer of hygiene products, will create 113 new jobs in Rockingham County, Governor Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $26.9 million to establish its first U.S. baby care production facility in the City of Reidsville.

Kyowa Kirin has selected Lee County to build its first North American pharmaceutical manufacturing operation, creating 102 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $200 million to establish a biologics manufacturing Center of Excellence in Sanford.

North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders today led a celebration of the new NCWorks Mobile Career Center, on the completion of its first year of service. The mobile unit can bring accessible workforce development services to North Carolina jobseekers and employers anywhere in the state.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved eight grant requests to local governments totaling $1,465,000, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 270 jobs, 150 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $365.6 million in private investment.

Seven North Carolina companies today were recognized at the 2023 Governor’s Export Awards for their growing sales success in international markets. These companies range from tactical components to bicycle wheel manufacturing and textile machinery.

Siemens Energy, Inc., one of the world’s leading energy technology companies and a long-standing North Carolina employer will expand its operations in the state, creating a total of 559 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The project brings an investment of $149.8 million and will establish in Mecklenburg County the company’s first manufacturing site in the United States to build Large Power Transformers (LPTs), a critical component of the nation’s power grid. The expansion also adds positions to the company’s engineering operations in Wake County.