Press Releases

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 technology companies.  The program, administered by the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, & Innovation (Board) and the North Carolina Department of Commerce will focus this year on helping to promote job creation and economic recovery at small technology companies meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, the leading pet care company in the United States, plans to establish significant new manufacturing and distribution operations in Rockingham County that will become operational in 2022 and create up to 300 new jobs by 2024, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $450 million in a 1,300+ acre site near Eden that formerly housed a brewery, where it will manufacture and distribute Purina pet food.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in August. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 11.6 percent, while Camden and Watauga Counties each had the lowest at 4.6 percent. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount each had the highest rate at 9.1 percent and New Bern had the lowest at 5.9 percent. The August not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 6.8 percent.

Merchants Distributors, LLC, a wholesale grocery distributor founded in Hickory in 1931, will invest $120 million to expand its services and operations, creating 111 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company anticipates adding approximately 200,000 square feet to its Caldwell County facilities. "Companies with roots in our state like Merchants Distributors understand North Carolina’s advantages for their business,” said Governor Cooper. “It’s great to see a home-grown company, which could expand anywhere, once again choose our state and our workers to expand.”

Pamlico Air, an air filtration manufacturing company, will expand its North Carolina operations with a new facility in Beaufort County, creating 39 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $1.4 million in Washington. “It comes as no surprise that we are announcing manufacturing jobs during Manufacturing week,” said Governor Cooper. “Companies like Pamlico Air continue to choose expansion in North Carolina because of our state’s workforce and our focus on building the foundation for a strong economic future.”

Governor Roy Cooper noted that manufacturing remains essential to the success of every sector of our state’s economy as he proclaimed September 27 - October 3, 2020 as Manufacturing Week in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce invites citizens to offer their perspectives and input on fair housing issues in North Carolina as part of a public comment period associated with federal housing funds managed by the Department of Commerce and other state agencies.

Some North Carolina small businesses that have experienced extraordinary disruption to their operations due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic may benefit from a $40 million relief program to help offset fixed costs like rent, mortgage interests and utility bills, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy – powering our local communities and giving back in so many ways. They deserve our support, and this new initiative can help them weather this tough time,” said Governor Cooper.

The state’s seasonally adjusted August unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, decreasing 2.0 percentage points from July’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 1.8 percentage points to 8.4 percent. North Carolina’s August 2020 unemployment rate increased 2.7 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 28,419 over the month to 4,510,574 and decreased 387,558 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 100,105 over the month to 315,347 and increased 120,255 over the year.

Five new productions have been approved for North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grants and will start production in the state by the end of October, Governor Roy Cooper announced today.  Combined, these productions are projected to generate a direct in-state spend of more than $107 million while creating 8,671 job opportunities including 650 well-paying crew positions for the state’s highly skilled film professionals.