Press Releases

Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed October 2-8 North Carolina Manufacturing Week. Boasting the fifth-largest manufacturing economy in the United States, which grew 14% last year, and the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeast, manufacturing remains essential to the success of every sector of North Carolina’s economy.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 98 of North Carolina’s counties in August and remained unchanged in two. Edgecombe County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.9 percent while Buncombe, Swain, and Chatham Counties each had the lowest at 3.1 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 6.5 percent while Asheville and Durham-Chapel Hill each had the lowest at 3.2 percent. The August not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.9 percent.

The North Carolina Board of Science, Technology & Innovation announced today that 101 North Carolina small businesses have received 117 grants to advance the commercialization of innovative new technologies. The One North Carolina Small Business Program awarded a total of $4.95 million to innovative companies in 22 counties across the state.

Cummins-Meritor to expand its manufacturing facility in Henderson County, N.C. with $17 million investment

SteriTek, a contract sterilizer, will create 50 new jobs in Alamance County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $59.9 million to build an East Coast sterilization facility in Burlington. “SteriTek’s new facility in Alamance County is a great addition to our already thriving biotechnology and life sciences industry,” said Governor Cooper. “Companies value our central location, skilled talent, and thriving life science ecosystem as they execute their strategies here in North Carolina.”

The state’s seasonally adjusted August 2022 unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from July’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.7 percent. North Carolina’s unemployment rate decreased 1.3 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 1,375 over the month to 4,944,797 and increased 198,133 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 7,904 over the month to 179,561 and decreased 57,547 over the year.

SunTree Snack Foods will create 94 new jobs in Wayne County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $10.1 million to establish an East Coast manufacturing site in Goldsboro. “SunTree Snacks has made a great decision to establish an East Coast headquarters in Wayne County,” said Governor Cooper. “Our quality of life, affordability, and manufacturing workforce continues to attract businesses from across the globe.”

BIOPHIL Natural Fibers, a manufacturer of organic raw materials, will create 41 new jobs in Robeson County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $10.9 million to locate a new processing operation to Lumberton. “North Carolina is the perfect place for BioPhil as our economy is deeply rooted in agriculture and manufacturing," said Governor Cooper. “With their commitment to sustainability and renewables, we believe this company will find great success in Robeson County.”

Wolfspeed, Inc., a leading manufacturer of Silicon Carbide semiconductors, will create more than 1,800 new jobs in Chatham County by 2030, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will construct a manufacturing campus for the production of Silicon Carbide materials with an investment of approximately $5 billion over the next eight years in the Town of Siler City.

Sunlight Batteries USA Inc., a manufacturer of lithium-ion and other high-performance batteries, will invest $40 million to expand its North Carolina operations into Alamance County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will create more than 130 jobs in its new facility in Mebane.