Press Releases

Today, IQE, Inc., a global semiconductor manufacturer, announced an expansion in Guilford County, signaling its ongoing commitment to future investment in the region, subject to customer commitments and funding from the federal CHIPS Act. The company plans to add 109 jobs and invest $305 million over several years to expand its manufacturing facility for next generation compound semiconductor material in the City of Greensboro.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in September 2024. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 5.6 percent while Buncombe, Ashe, Avery, Currituck, Watauga, Swain, and Dare Counties each had the lowest at 2.5 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 4.6 percent while Asheville had the lowest at 2.6 percent. The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.2 percent.

Three television-streaming series and three independent feature-length films have been approved for North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grants. With production beginning this year, the six projects combined are expected to spend more than $172 million in the state, while creating more than 8,500 job opportunities.

Governor Roy Cooper welcomed the Japanese Ambassador to the United States, Shigeo Yamada, to Charlotte and served as the host-state Governor for the annual Southeastern United States/Japan (SEUS/Japan) Economic Development Conference. The conference convened on Sunday, October 27 in Charlotte to recruit Japanese industry and meet with business leaders.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A new report released today by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and NC Child says helping parents of young children get back into North Carolina’s workforce could add up to $7.5 billion to the state’s GDP, generate up to an additional $13.3 billion in annual economic input, and create up to 68,000 new jobs statewide.  

The state’s seasonally adjusted September 2024 unemployment rate was 3.8 percent, remaining unchanged from August’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.1 percent.North Carolina’s unemployment rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 659 over the month to 5,068,142 and increased 3,902 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 1,708 over the month to 197,885 and increased 11,192 over the year.

The North Carolina Board of Science, Technology & Innovation has awarded 80 North Carolina innovation-based small businesses a total of $2.339 million in funding to develop groundbreaking new technologies with the potential for commercialization.

The Division of Employment Security (DES) has announced that 12 additional counties have been approved for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) because of the devastating impacts from Hurricane Helene, which brings the total approved for DUA to 39 counties plus the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.

The Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 22 grant requests to local governments totaling $8,401,717, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 557 jobs, 413 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $83.7 million in public and private investment.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Cedar Direct, LLC, a lumberdistributor, will create 20 new jobs in Rutherford County. The company will invest $925,000 tolocate a distribution and warehousing facility in the Town of Spindale.“Cedar Direct is setting up operations in Rutherford County at a time where the spirit ofcollaboration and resiliency is on full display,” said Governor Cooper. “This decision by CedarDirect provides new economic opportunities for a skilled and hardworking people.”