Press Releases

Mt. Olive Pickle Company, Inc. will create 167 jobs in Wayne County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $35 million to expand its manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution operations to Goldsboro. “Some of our very best business recruiters are the existing industries that continue to reinvest in North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “The expansion of a household brand like Mt. Olive Pickle Company proves that North Carolina’s quality of life, central location, and experienced talent are attractive to growing companies.”

The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW), the well-known global manufacturer of paints and coatings, will create 183 jobs in Iredell County as it expands its facilities in Statesville, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $324 million to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity and establish a larger distribution facility at the site.

Governor Roy Cooper convened a new advisory group of experts yesterday to help the State of North Carolina encourage development of the offshore wind energy industry, the latest milestone showing the state’s commitment to the clean energy economy.  The inaugural meeting of the North Carolina Taskforce for Offshore Wind Economic Resource Strategies (NC TOWERS), held in Wilmington and streamed online, brought together thought leaders to collaborate and position the state to take a

BrassCraft Manufacturing Company, leading provider of rough plumbing products, will create nearly 100 new jobs in Davidson County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $13 million to expand its manufacturing operations in the City of Thomasville. “This expansion by BrassCraft is a great vote of confidence for North Carolina’s economy,” said Governor Cooper. “The company has seen success in Davidson County and understands the value of our workforce, quality of life and central location that support its global reputation.”

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 91 of North Carolina’s counties in December, increased in four, and remained unchanged in five. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 6.9 percent while Orange County had the lowest at 2.2 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.0 percent while Durham-Chapel Hill had the lowest at 2.5 percent. The December not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.2 percent.

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. [NYSE: WST], a global leader in innovative solutions for injectable drug administration, will create approximately 70 jobs in Lenoir County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $70 million over the next few years to expand its manufacturing operation in Kinston.

Eli Lilly and Company, a global healthcare and biopharmaceutical company, plans to invest $1 billion and create nearly 600 new jobs in Cabarrus County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will build a new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Concord, demonstrating again the presence of the biotechnology industry in all regions of North Carolina.

Boom Supersonic, the high-profile aviation company building modern supersonic airliners for commercial service, will build its manufacturing and final assembly facility in Greensboro, creating more than 1,750 jobs by 2030, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The project will bring an investment of more than $500 million through 2030 at a site located at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Guilford County.

The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, decreasing 0.2 of a percentage point from November’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.3 of a percentage point to 3.9 percent. North Carolina’s December 2021 unemployment rate decreased 2.4 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 25,884 over the month to 4,869,342 and increased 138,178 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 9,881 over the month to 188,391 and decreased 120,492 over the year.

Applications are now being accepted for a new round of grantmaking from the One North Carolina Small Business Program, a key source of capital for North Carolina’s emerging technology companies.  The state program works in conjunction with two federal technology grants, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.  For the first time since 2009, the state will not only match awarded federal grants but will now help fund companies’ efforts to prepare and submit initial SBIR or STTR proposals to the federal government.