Jade Apparel announced plans to begin operations in Edgecombe County which will create 250 new jobs and $2 million investment in equipment and renovations.
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Metalcraft, Inc. announced the relocation and expansion of their metal fabricating business in Nash County.
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Future Graphics, Inc. announced the relocation of their commercial printing company to Middlesex in Nash County.
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Digital Repair, LLC announced the opening of their facilities in Rocky Mount and Tarboro.
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Sara Lee Bakery announces plans to expand their operations in Edgecombe County.
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LS Tractor USA, LLC announces plans to open a headquarters, distribution and manufacturing facility in Nash County. The company will invest nearly $14 million and create 134 new jobs over the next 5 years.
Montana Tractors announces plans to consolidate operations by moving all production, service, parts and logistical assets from Springdale, AR to their newly acquired Tarboro facilities.
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HC Composites, a national manufacturer of twin-hull boats, plans to expand its Tarboro operations by investing $2.65 million and creating 120 new jobs over the next 3 years. Governor Perdue made the announcement saying the company would be receiving a $130,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
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ABB, Inc., a leader in power and automation technologies, announces expansion plans that will add new product lines, create 35 new jobs and investment of approximately $2.5 million in their Edgecombe County facility.
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Carolina Insulation Company moves to Nash County, bringing 80 employees with plans to add 100 more jobs by Spring of 2009.
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SePRO Research and Technology Center, an agricultural chemical company located in Nash County, announced expansion plans that will add 11 new full-time employees with an average annual salary of $35,000.
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American Food Resources, LLC, a national food wholesale and distribution company, plans to expand its Nashville facility by investing $3 million and adding 70 jobs during the next three years.
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Nash County Railroad is expanding serivces to provide area businesses with the opportunity to benefit from rail without being directly located on the railroad.
Recently purchased land in Nashville, NC will be available for transloading goods from truck to rail cars to be shipped around the country.
Transloading is a term used to describe transferring a load from one mode of transportation to another. Transloading may include trucks, cargo planes, railroads, or barges to reduce costs and increase productivity. Many different types of goods can be transloaded including liqids, wood products, consumer goods, food products, metals, etc. Transloading is cost effective because it does not require the customer to purchase a warehouse or land. In some cases, specialized equipment is needed to handle the loading and unloading but this portion can be outsourced to a third party which lowers the customers up front costs to transload.
Edgecombe and Nash County Schools Receive Bronze Medals for Achievement in Education.
Less than 1,600 high schools topped the U.S. News & World Report's list as the best in the nation. The Twin County area had two schools on that list. Northern Nash High School and North Edgecombe High School each received bronze awards, placing them in a select class of schools that the U.S. News & World Report stated was providing good education across the student body.
More than 18,000 public schools were analyzed for the first-ever America's Best High Schools list. The schools receiving bronze awards were judged on state reading and math test scores and the school's percentage of economically disadvantaged students to determine which schools performed better than their statistical expectations. Only 34 schools in North Carolina were tapped by the magazine famously known for its college rankings.
The 2008 study by The Milken Institute Lists Rocky Mount MSA as "High-Tech Achiever for a second year."
The Milken Institute recently released its findings for best performing cities. The Rocky Mount Metro Area, including the Twin Counties of Edgecombe and Nash, improved their overall relative ranking in the Milken Institutes's ranking of "Best Performing Cities" index. Notably, the area ranked #1 of all small cities in its domination of high tech firms relative to the national averages. The Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners Best Performing Cities Index ranks U.S. metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. The components include jobs, wage and salary, and technology growth.
North Carolina Named Nation's Top Business Climate for 4th Consecutive Year
Former Governor Mike Easley announced on November 3, 2008 that North Carolina, for the 4th year in a row and 7 of the last 8 years, is the state with the "Top Business Climate" according to Site Selection magazine. Site Selection is one of the nation's premier magazines for economic development providing expansion planning information to more than 44,000 corporate executives.
The Gateway Technology Center Officially Opens
Local and state officials, educators and business people gathered on May 25, 2006 for the grand opening ceremonies of the Gateway Technology Center, a state-of-the-art facility located on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, NC. The opening was the culmination of a long process that partnered individuals involved in business, education, industry, and government to provide a facility that would offer advanced engineering, life sciences and business courses, and that would also serve as a distance education model for other North Carolina communities far from major research universities offering advanced degree and engineering programs. The overall goal was to develop a strong university and industry relationship to further economic prosperity in Eastern North Carolina by retraining and significantly improving the technical skill sets of existing and future workforces to meet the needs of the global economy.
Former North Carolina Wesleyan College President, Dr. Ian Newbould, said "This is a great day for Rocky Mount, Nash and Edgecombe Counties, and the entire region. It is a remarkable example of a partnership between the City of Rocky Mount, area leaders, and support from the state legislature, the federal government, North Carolina State University and East Carolina University. This Center will provide educational opportunities and economic aspirations in Eastern North Carolina. It will serve students from Wesleyan, NC State, East Carolina University, and employers of the region. We look forward to a continued fruitful relationship among the institutions."
East Carolina Chancellor Dr. Steve Ballard said projects like the Gateway Technology Center make a difference in North Carolina. "Great projects happen with great partnerships. In the east, we must be good partners as we transition the economy. East Carolina University is committed to workforce and economic development. Today's students face a daunting workplace and a daunting economy. We have an absolute obligation to prepare them so they will stay here and access good jobs." Chancellor Ballard said, "There will be challenges, but the university is ready to be the best partner it can be."
North Carolina State Chancellor Dr. James Oblinger said, "The Center is tied to partnership. That's what this is all about. Relationships have brought us to this day. It hasn't been easy. Today is a new dawning for Eastern North Carolina and its residents." Chancellor Oblinger said the Center will provide innovative, powerful learning opportunities for people. "We are more globally aware as a nation," he said. "The new educational opportunities here will be available to our citizens anytime, anywhere. The Center will make a real difference as it relates to people's lives and economic opportunities."
Carolinas Gateway Partnership President, John Gessaman, recognized and thanked the many people and organizations that contributed to the Center's development and success. He said, "We are here because of an historic partnership in the region. We will bring our region into the 21st century, and I would call this center the gateway to 21st century education."
The funding partners include The DeLeon Carter Foundation, the City of Rocky Mount, the e-NC Authority, the Golden LEAF, Inc., Honeywell, the Allan C. and Margaret L. Mims Charitable Foundation, Nash County, Nash Health Care Systems, the State of North Carolina, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and Mr. Thomas A. Betts, Jr. for whom the Center was officially named. In making the naming presentation - The Gateway Technology Center Thomas A. Betts, Jr. Education Building, Dr. Newbould recognized Mr. Betts for his significant contribution to making the Center a reality by saying, "He is the person who tirelessly encouraged through his vision what this Center could be. Without his efforts, this project would not have come to fruition."
