Press Releases

The state’s seasonally adjusted March unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, increasing 0.8 of a percentage point from February’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.9 of a percentage point to 4.4 percent.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 17 grant requests to local governments totaling $6,570,274, N.C. Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 377 jobs. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $23 million in private investment.  

GoldenHome International Inc, a maker of customized residential cabinet systems for customers worldwide, will establish its North American headquarters in Concord, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The company’s plans in Cabarrus County include the creation of 257 jobs over five years and a capital investment of $86 million.

Main Street America, a subsidiary of the National Trust for the Historic Preservations, has selected three North Carolina communities to participate in its Main Street Façade Improvement Grant Program. The program, made possible by a $746,900 grant administered by the National Park Service, seeks to demonstrate the power of coordinated, small-scale façade improvements on local economies, reinvigorate the image of downtown districts and attract private capital investment.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in February. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 13.3 percent, while Buncombe and Orange Counties each had the lowest at 2.9 percent. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville had the highest rate at 4.9 percent and Asheville and Durham-Chapel Hill each had the lowest rate at 3.1 percent. The February not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.7 percent.

Bandwidth Inc., a leading global provider of communications software, will expand its Raleigh headquarters in a move that will bring 1,165 new jobs to North Carolina over the coming eight years, Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland announced today. The company’s plans include the creation of at least $103,426,500 in capital investment.

Global chemical manufacturer Dymax Corporation will create 59 new jobs at a new production site in Gaston County, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland announced today. The Connecticut-based company will invest more than $21.5 million in establishing a manufacturing facility in Gastonia.

Nineteen communities recently received awards for excellence in downtown revitalization at the North Carolina Main Street and Small Town Main Street Awards Ceremony, held March 11 in New Bern.  North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland and Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development Kenny Flowers honored recipients in categories that include economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.

Correct Craft, a Florida company that recently completed an acquisition of Beaufort-based Parker Boats, will create 38 new jobs in an expansion at its Carteret County manufacturing facility. The company’s plans, announced today by North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland, include a capital investment of $1,715,000.

The state’s seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, remaining unchanged from January’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5 percent. North Carolina’s February 2020 unemployment rate decreased 0.5 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 6,250 over the month to 4,931,991 and increased 84,031 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 2,293 over the month to 182,598 and decreased 22,068 over the year.