Press Releases

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.

North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders has named Jennifer Mundt, an experienced legislative analyst and policy executive, as the department’s Assistant Secretary of Clean Energy Economic Development, an important new role at the state’s lead agency for economic development.    Ms. Mundt will guide North Carolina’s efforts to secure economic development and workforce opportunities in the increasingly important clean energy industry sector, including development of the state’s resources for offshore wind energy (OSW).

Medical equipment supplier, Innosonian America, LLC, will create 34 new jobs in Franklin County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $345,000 to relocate its warehousing and sales facility to the Town of Youngsville. “It’s good to kick off economic recruitment in 2022 with important jobs in rural North Carolina created by global company Innosonian,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolina’s world class workforce, location and quality of life can meet this innovative company’s needs.”

Governor Roy Cooper announced 24,224 new jobs in North Carolina last year, representing 185 business recruitment, expansion or rural development projects that engaged with the North Carolina Department of Commerce or its team at the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. in 2021.  These projects will bring $10.1 billion of capital investment into the state, marking new all-time highs for economic development performance.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 97 of North Carolina’s counties in November and increased in three. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.0 percent while Orange County had the lowest at 2.4 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 5.2 percent while Durham-Chapel Hill had the lowest at 2.7 percent. The November not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.4 percent.