News
North Carolina Is Business Facilities’ 2020 State Of The Year
January 5, 2021 "North Carolina has been named Business Facilities’ 2020 State of the Year, the first time NC has earned BF’s top honor, which has been bestowed annually by the magazine since 2007. “North Carolina has been a rising star on our radar for several...
Edgecombe projects move forward despite pandemic
By John H. Walker Staff Writer Dec. 30, 2020 "The coronavirus pandemic hit just as economic indicators were beginning to improve for Edgecombe County. And while those indicators dropped all the way to the bottom of the scale, there was slippage in a number of areas as...
Twin Counties to benefit from $980K in business, industry grants
BY WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer "At least 30 state grants totaling nearly $13 million have been approved for local governments so business and industry locations can be prepared or can be expanded and create numerous jobs. And a significant part of that money,...
Mural project highlights city’s rail past
By LAWRENCE BIVINS Special to the Telegram December 7, 2020 "The mural seeks to highlight the area’s historical relationship with railroads — and its future. “The history of the Atlantic Coastline Railroad in Rocky Mount goes way back,” said Marion Clark Weathers, an...
Kingsboro megasite earns statewide recognition
From Contributed Reports "The Kingsboro Business Center has received statewide recognition for its positive impact for job creation and superior transportation infrastructure. The American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina recently made the...
Work on new DMV headquarters to finish soon
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer November 18, 2020 "The DMV headquarters is being shifted in phases from along New Bern Avenue in the capital city to Rocky Mount. That is because the General Assembly required a process for relocating the present headquarters due to...
Manufacturing company to relocate to area
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer November 16, 2020 "If you’ve ever gotten an X-ray and had one of those heavy, protective aprons positioned in front of your body, chances are it was made by a business relocating from New York to Edgecombe County’s Fountain Industrial...
Manufacturing plant to locate in city
From Staff Reports November 11, 2020 "Cornerstone Building Brands Inc., a manufacturer of exterior building products, plans to build a production facility in Rocky Mount. The company plans to invest about $25 million over five years to establish the production...
Truck service center to locate in Kingsboro
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Nov 7, 2020 "While trade wars may be impacting the development of what is promised by Triangle Tire to be its first manufacturing facility outside China, economic growth at the Kingsboro Business Park got another boost Monday night....
SITE SELECTION RANKS NORTH CAROLINA AS TOP STATE BUSINESS CLIMATE FOR 2020
11/02/2020 "This is hardly North Carolina’s first time at the top of Site Selection’s Business Climate Ranking. It had a six-year run of first-place finishes from 2005 through 2010. And it has been a formidable competitor ever since, very nearly tying Georgia in 2019....
Local business reaches finals in state contest
From Staff Reports "Nashville-based George’s BBQ Sauce is one of four finalists in a statewide contest sponsored by the N.C. Chamber, the state’s leading business advocacy organization. “It is humbling just to be nominated ... We are so thankful for the opportunity to...
Local airport offers new amenities
By AMELIA HARPER Staff Writer "Dion Viventi, director of the Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport, presented an update Monday on recent improvements made to the Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport during a meeting of the Nash County Board of Commissioners. “There has...
New FFE distribution center takes shape
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer "Signage is in place at a North Church Street location that is going to be the retrofitted Rocky Mount distribution facility of a temperature-controlled food products motor carrier — and the building at that location also now has a...
Duke Energy program to boost area industrial sites
From Staff Reports "Future industrial sites in Edgecombe and Nash counties have made a list of six properties Duke Energy has selected in North Carolina for participation in the company’s 2020 Site Readiness Program. The purpose of the program is to identify...
Progress continues on construction of CSX intermodal terminals
Joanna Marsh Friday, August 28, 2020 "Although the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed back construction timelines, Eastern U.S. railroad CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) is forging ahead with the construction of two new intermodal terminals, one in Rocky Mount in eastern North Carolina...
MADE IN AMERICA: 20 TOP U.S. CITIES FOR MANUFACTURERS
August 4th, 2020 | Written by Anthony Pignataro "More than 11 million Americans worked in the manufacturing sector in 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. These are good jobs, too: The average payroll by employee in manufacturing is $57,266. But while...
10 3PLS KILLING IT WITH DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS
August 11th, 2020 | Written by Anthony Pignataro "The third-party logistics (3PL) industry did more than $200 billion in revenue in the U.S. in 2018, according to Armstrong & Associates. That figure is double what it was just a decade ago. Rising labor costs,...
City ranked among top 20 in manufacturing
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer "Rocky Mount has received another honor in the category of business and industry. Global Trade Magazine, which is based in Dallas and proclaims to be America’s leading publication on the subject of logistics, early this month reported...
Duke Energy Site Readiness Program a win for economic development, jobs in North Carolina
August 27, 2020 "Edgecombe County: The 76-acre Bulluck Tract South Site is located an hour east of Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and just minutes from Interstate 95. Within an easy 2-hour drive from ports in both Norfolk, Va.,...
Rocky Mount CSX rail project has bright future, with a big lift from Norris Tolson
By Dan Barkin Posted August 17, 2020 "Things are breaking right for Rocky Mount and vicinity. Speed to market is all the rage. Because of its location, Rocky Mount is poised to become a logistics powerhouse. It sits astride two major north-south corridors on the...
Carolinas Gateway moves into new downtown home
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer Aug 16, 2020 "The area’s business and industrial recruiter is operating in a new location in the heart of Rocky Mount. The Carolinas Gateway Partnership a few weeks ago moved into space on the second floor of a building abutting the...
A sleepy North Carolina city flexes its logistics muscle
Mark Solomon Friday, August 7, 2020 "Nestled in the state’s rural northeast corner, Rocky Mount, North Carolina is known to many travelers as four exits on Interstate 95. Not many would imagine it being a major distribution center (DC) player. They may want to take...
State grants to help promote businesses
From Contributed Reports "The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina has grant resources to help small businesses exhibit in virtual international trade shows at a time when COVID-19 has shut down in-person events and caused many countries to restrict U.S....
Economic interest Remains High In Edgecombe County
Written By John H. Walker "According to officials with Carolinas Gateway Partnership, there is a great deal of ongoing interest in Tarboro and Edgecombe County. “We’re fielding a great number of inquiries,” explained Gateways CEO Norris Tolson. “The consultants we...
Trade dispute delays Triangle Tire plans to build new plants
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Jul 23, 2020 Norris Tolson, President and CEO of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership, told the Telegram that Triangle still has plans to build here. “The last time I talked with them, they told me that they are still coming to Kingsboro,”...
Tarboro shell building starts to take shape
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Jun 27, 2020 While rain continues to slow progress of the 65,000-square-foot spec building under construction at the Tarboro Commerce Center, work is progressing as the superstructure is now up and workers preparing to erect the siding...
Work continues on new DMV headquarters
William F. West Staff Writer May 8, 2020 Has the coronavirus put on hold the transformation of the former Hardee’s corporate headquarters complex into the future state Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters? If your answer is no, then you are correct. “The work never...
New pharmaceutical firm set to locate in area
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer A startup nationwide pharmaceutical business has selected a shell building in the West Nashville Commerce Park as a base of operations — and crews are at work readying the location. Joe Cascone, a co-founder of Asterra Labs, told the...
CUSTOMER CONTACT SOLUTIONS COMPANY SELECTS EDGECOMBE COUNTY FOR 200-JOB FACILITY
Apr 22, 2020 Raleigh, N.C. Utah-based Focus Services LLC, a global innovator in customer contact solutions, will create up to 200 jobs at a new operations center in Tarboro, Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The company’s plans, which includes a...
Golden LEAF loans available to small businesses
By Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Small businesses in North Carolina can apply for loans up to $50,000, with no interest and no payments due for six months, to help them stay afloat as the COVID-19 pandemic shuts down large swaths of the...
Crews work on new site for DMV
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer The entrances to the future state Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters on Church Street are ribboned off from public entry because crews are inside upfitting buildings on the property, more commonly known locally as the former...
Corning posts jobs ads for new facility
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Nothing shows up for a Tarboro location yet on the Corning website, but indeed.com has a number of jobs listed for the yet-to-open warehouse facility located directly across from what once was Hart’s Chapel Road on U.S. 64 Alternate....
CONCRETE MANUFACTURER TO CREATE 55 JOBS IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY: ARMOROCK TO INVEST $6.6 MILLION IN BATTLEBORO
Feb 17, 2020 Raleigh, N.C. Armorock, LLC, the world’s largest manufacture of polymer concrete structures, will establish a new manufacturing facility in Edgecombe County, creating 55 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company plans to invest $6.6 million...
Rocky Mount Mills Announces New Corporate Tenants
Posted on February 11, 2020 at 11:15 am. Written by Margo Metzger Prominent businesses join ever-evolving campus February 10, 2019 (Rocky Mount, N.C.) – Several new businesses have recently moved in at Rocky Mount Mills, bringing even more jobs and community...
City receives high ranking for manufacturing
By SPENCER CARNEY Telegram Correspondent Feb 9, 2020 Rocky Mount was named in a recent study as the third-highest city in the United States where manufacturing is thriving. “Manufacturing is a really important part of the American economy,” said Adrian Mak, co-founder...
Manufacturing is thriving in these 5 US cities
By Megan Henney FOXBusiness The U.S. manufacturing sector may have recently contracted to its lowest level since the financial crisis, but the industry is still thriving in certain American cities, according to a new report. Despite a recent slowdown, manufacturing...
Sara Lee to expand area bakery
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer Sara Lee Frozen Bakery is going to begin a $19.8 million expansion of the company’s plant just off U.S. 258 southwest of Tarboro that is going to create 108 new jobs. “Food manufacturers like Sara Lee Frozen Bakery choose communities...
SARA LEE FROZEN BAKERY TO EXPAND IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY: GOVERNOR COOPER ANNOUNCES 108 JOBS AND $19.8M INVESTMENT
Jan 13, 2020 Raleigh, N.C. Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, a provider of baked desserts, treats and snacks, will create 108 jobs as it expands its food manufacturing center in Edgecombe County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest an additional $19.8...
CSX rail hub construction remains on track
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer Construction of the future CSX intermodal facility is on schedule to be complete by the end of the year. That is what state Transportation Department spokesman Andrew Barksdale told the Telegram in response to recent written questions...
The Best States For Business 2019: North Carolina And Texas On Top
Written by Samantha Sharf Forbes Staff Dec 19, 2019 Forbes has rated the business climates of the 50 states since 2006, with only North Carolina (three times), Utah (six times) and Virginia (five times) ever claiming the top spot. Texas has ranked second twice...
Crews work on new site for DMV
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer The entrances to the future state Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters on Church Street are ribboned off from public entry because crews are inside upfitting buildings on the property, more commonly known locally as the former...
Corning posts jobs ads for new facility
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Nothing shows up for a Tarboro location yet on the Corning website, but indeed.com has a number of jobs listed for the yet-to-open warehouse facility located directly across from what once was Hart’s Chapel Road on U.S. 64 Alternate....
CONCRETE MANUFACTURER TO CREATE 55 JOBS IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY: ARMOROCK TO INVEST $6.6 MILLION IN BATTLEBORO
Feb 17, 2020 Raleigh, N.C. Armorock, LLC, the world’s largest manufacture of polymer concrete structures, will establish a new manufacturing facility in Edgecombe County, creating 55 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company plans to invest $6.6 million...
Rocky Mount Mills Announces New Corporate Tenants
Posted on February 11, 2020 at 11:15 am. Written by Margo Metzger Prominent businesses join ever-evolving campus February 10, 2019 (Rocky Mount, N.C.) – Several new businesses have recently moved in at Rocky Mount Mills, bringing even more jobs and community...
City receives high ranking for manufacturing
By SPENCER CARNEY Telegram Correspondent Feb 9, 2020 Rocky Mount was named in a recent study as the third-highest city in the United States where manufacturing is thriving. “Manufacturing is a really important part of the American economy,” said Adrian Mak, co-founder...
Manufacturing is thriving in these 5 US cities
By Megan Henney FOXBusiness The U.S. manufacturing sector may have recently contracted to its lowest level since the financial crisis, but the industry is still thriving in certain American cities, according to a new report. Despite a recent slowdown, manufacturing...
Sara Lee to expand area bakery
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer Sara Lee Frozen Bakery is going to begin a $19.8 million expansion of the company’s plant just off U.S. 258 southwest of Tarboro that is going to create 108 new jobs. “Food manufacturers like Sara Lee Frozen Bakery choose communities...
SARA LEE FROZEN BAKERY TO EXPAND IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY: GOVERNOR COOPER ANNOUNCES 108 JOBS AND $19.8M INVESTMENT
Jan 13, 2020 Raleigh, N.C. Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, a provider of baked desserts, treats and snacks, will create 108 jobs as it expands its food manufacturing center in Edgecombe County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest an additional $19.8...
CSX rail hub construction remains on track
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer Construction of the future CSX intermodal facility is on schedule to be complete by the end of the year. That is what state Transportation Department spokesman Andrew Barksdale told the Telegram in response to recent written questions...
The Best States For Business 2019: North Carolina And Texas On Top
Written by Samantha Sharf Forbes Staff Dec 19, 2019 Forbes has rated the business climates of the 50 states since 2006, with only North Carolina (three times), Utah (six times) and Virginia (five times) ever claiming the top spot. Texas has ranked second twice...
Business development boosts economic prospects
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer Gov. Roy Cooper and scores of other VIPs and residents gathered on a sunny and humid day on April 24 on the lawn of N.C. Wesleyan College for a ceremony signaling the start of construction of the future CSX intermodal rail facility....
New projects position Edgecombe County for economic gains
By JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer A number of business developments in Edgecombe County in 2019 continue to give credence to speculation the county’s economic and employment situation is headed in the right direction. While the initial announcement of two industries —...
Carolinas Gateway Partnership to relocate headquarters
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer The area’s business and industrial recruiter is shifting from a building just northwest of downtown to a location in downtown. Carolinas Gateway Partnership President and CEO Norris Tolson told the Telegram the plan is to bid farewell...
Local plant to upgrade operations
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer A combination of Belgian knowhow and innovation and Twin Counties area pride were on display for Belgium’s ambassador to the U.S. on Monday afternoon. Dirk Wouters was in northern Nash County to tour the Belgian-based Poppies dessert...
Economists provide optimistic forecast
By WILLIAM F. WEST Staff Writer The chief economist for the PNC Financial Group told the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce’s economic summit his forecast for next year is continued expansion nationwide, although not at the same current pace. “We do not expect to...
Workforce training ‘created out of necessity’
By Brie Handgraaf bhandgraaf@wilsontimes.com | 252-265-7821 ROCKY MOUNT — Community leaders from five counties gathered Tuesday night to learn more about an initiative that will equip local residents with the skills to fill advanced manufacturing vacancies with...
Interview: Norris Tolson Discusses CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Rail Terminal
October 9, 2019 This past April, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to begin construction of the Carolina Connector intermodal rail terminal in Rocky Mount, NC. The terminal is the result of a joint effort between CSX and the North Carolina Department of...
Keihin plant part of merger deal
BY JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Monday, November 4, 2019 Keihin Carolina System Technology LLC, which has operated in Tarboro since 1998 and employs more than 400 people, is one of three Honda-owned businesses that will be merged with Hitachi Automotive Systems to...
RURAL COMMUNITIES RECEIVE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO ATTRACT 449 NEW JOBS AND MORE THAN $262 MILLION IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT
Oct 17, 2019 Raleigh, N.C. The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 24 grant requests to local governments totaling $7,799,500, N.C. Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of...
Local plant to expand, add jobs
BY JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Friday, October 25, 2019 “Most people have no idea as to who Babington Technologies is,” Carolinas Gateway Partnership President and CEO Norris Tolson said. Indeed, located at a dead-end street between U.S. 301 and the CSX railroad...
Economic recruiter makes staff change
BY JOHN H. WALKER Staff Writer Sunday, October 13, 2019 The Carolinas Gateway Partnership has announced two staff changes. Krista Ikirt, vice president of economic development for Nash County and a 12-year veteran with the partnership, is headed to the Erie County,...
TRANSPORTATION COMPANY TO INVEST $4.7 MILLION IN ROCKY MOUNT: FFE TRANSPORTATION TO CREATE 96 NEW JOBS IN NASH COUNTY
Sep 3, 2019 By Patrice Bethea Patrice...
NEW CALL CENTER OPENS IN SPRING HOPE
BY WILLIAM F. WEST SPRING HOPE — A Raleigh-based call center company is now operating a facility in a former textile plant on the south side of Spring Hope and is anticipating employing more than 270 people in the future. The company, Millennia, had been...
SITE PREP WORK NEARING COMPLETION FOR TRIANGLE TIRE PLANT: HURRICANE FLORENCE DID NOT FLOOD THE SITE
FRANKLIN, TN (Sept. 19, 2018) – A green field in North Carolina’s Edgecombe County has been transformed in preparation for construction of a massive Triangle Tire plant which will ultimately produce six million passenger/light truck tires and one million commercial...
FEMALE BREWERS TO MOVE INTO THE ROCKY MOUNT MILLS
A couple of craft brewers are bringing a female touch and diverse presence to the Rocky Mount Mills. Briana Brake, founder of Spaceway Brewery, and Celeste Beatty, founder of Harlem Brewing, have formed a collaboration to establish Rocky Mount Brewery that will occupy...
QUALITY WORKERS, STRONG MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY MAKE BERRY GLOBAL HUM
A plastics process technician with Berry Global in Battleboro, Tony DeRose has a career in plastics production that stretches 25 years. He has been a Berry Team Member for the past four of those years, working in injection blow molding. The work is intricate,...
U.S. UNIT OF GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT LEADER CALLS TWIN COUNTIES HOME
By Lawrence Bivins Mike Blount rattles off a list of reasons why the shiny blue farm vehicles assembled and sold by LS Tractor USA offer better value than the competition. “Features that are standard in our products are things our competitors charge extra for,” says...
COMMUNITY COLLEGES BIND TOGETHER TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE PARADOX: FILLING SKILLS GAPS CALLS FOR REGIONAL OUTREACH TO CURRENT AND FUTURE JOB-SEEKERS
By Lawrence Bivins Wilson County’s 6.5 percent unemployment rate is significantly higher than that of either the state (4.3 percent) or the nation (4.1 percent), according to the most recent data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Still, local employers...
ATLANTIC NATURAL FOODS STAYS AHEAD OF SURGE IN ‘FLEXITARIAN’ EATING
By Lawrence Bivins Can Nash County be a global mecca for vegan foods? In fact, it’s well on its way. Since 2008, Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF) has quietly tested and produced a wide variety of shelf-stable, plant-based vegetarian foods, and beverages from its...
In the East: Food Processing is Heating Up Around Rocky Mount
The agency notes several factors that contribute to this clustering, including the excellent highway system, business-friendly tax rates…
For Acme United, a ‘Can-Do’ Spirit Led to Rocky Mount
As the seasoned CEO of a publicly-held company, Walter Johnsen is adept at overcoming technical obstacles that stand between…
Meet the Craft Brewers Making a Go of It in Rocky Mount
Inspired by our recent trips across North Carolina, we are launching a recurring series sampling the beer, wine and spirits…
Rocky Mount Going All-In as a Regional Craft-Brew Incubator
Usually, our travel-related features focus on nearby destinations with an eye toward events, activities, entertainment and, of course, food…
TWIN COUNTIES RECOGNIZED IN BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA
We are very excited for the Twin Counties to be recognized in the latest edition of the Business North Carolina magazine for one of the Top Economic Development Projects. Triangle Tyre ranked 3rd for largest new jobs and 1st for largest investment! The Twin Counties...
CSX INTERMODAL FACILITY COMING TO EDGECOMBE COUNTY
RALEIGH – A new intermodal transportation facility will be built in Edgecombe County to help industry get products to customers and spur growth in the region, officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation announced today. NCDOT has reached an agreement with...
CiCi Corporate Investment Awards
Corporate investment in the United States is going strong. The 15 projects included in Trade & Industry Development’s 13th annual Corporate Investment CiCi Awards are derived from corporate development projects announced in 2017 and represent the commitment of...
BORN IN A GARAGE, OSSID NOW LEADS THE GLOBE IN FOOD PACKAGING SOLUTIONS
By Lawrence Bivins Proximity to the nation’s major poultry producers makes Rocky Mount a convenient base for Ossid LLC, a diversified leader in packaging equipment and solutions. But there are other Twin County assets that make the company, part of the ProMach Group,...
BARNHILL CONTRACTING COMPANY’S FAMILY FRIENDLY APPROACH YIELDS 70 YEARS OF SUCCESS
By Lawrence Bivins Across three generations, one aspect of the business culture at Barnhill Contracting Company has remained unchanged. “We fulfill our word,” says Allen Barnhill, senior vice president, who has been with the company for 40 years. “What we say we’re...
DEFENSE CONTRACTORS SEEK NON-MILITARY GROWTH PATH
By COREY DAVIS Staff Writer, Rocky Mount Telegram Friday, March 16, 2018 With cutbacks in the federal defense budget, small businesses dependent on military contracts must find different ways to bring in revenue. A strategy created last year called the North Carolina...
GOVERNOR COOPER ANNOUNCES LARGEST EVER MANUFACTURING INVESTMENT IN RURAL NORTH CAROLINA
Triangle Tyre Will Create 800 Skilled Jobs in Eastern NC with Its First Manufacturing Facility Outside of China Chinese tire manufacturing company Triangle Tyre (Triangle) has selected Edgecombe County, North Carolina as the location for its first manufacturing...
GOVERNOR COOPER AND CORNING INCORPORATED STRIKE AGREEMENT TO BRING 428 NEW JOBS TO NORTH CAROLINA
Corning announces hundreds of new jobs in Durham, Edgecombe from WRALTechWire on Vimeo. TARBORO, N.C.: Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) will create 428 jobs over three years in North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper announced today, as the company locates a...
INSIDE THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY’S ROCKY MOUNT FACTORY
By Lawrence Bivins Nothing puts the special in special occasions like a slice of Oreo® Dream Extreme from The Cheesecake Factory. Just ask Abbey Shaffer, a proud mom of three young over-achievers who recently brought home good grades and high honors to close out the...
DISTRIBUTOR TO EXPAND OPERATIONS
By Cory Davis Staff Writer, Rocky Mount Telegram An agriculture equipment distributor is expanding operations in Nash County by investing more than $11 million and adding more than 30 jobs at its facility in the Battleboro community. Gov. Roy Cooper announced...
CIFI SUCCEEDS WITH FOCUS ON HEALTHY EATING TRENDS
While North Carolina leads the nation in sweet potato cultivation, the crop has been something of an unsung hero in the state’s agribusiness community. That perception is changing thanks in part to a Nash County company now promoting food and beverage ingredients that...
AT POPPIES, SUCCESS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR
When Bobby Davis meets with Belgium-based owners of Poppies International NV, he knows what their initial question will be. “It’s the first thing they ask about: ‘the employees – are they happy’,” says Davis, who is controller at Poppies’ 85-worker operation in Nash...
NUTKAO’S TASTE FOR QUALITY MAKES NASH COUNTY A WINNING DESTINATION
By Lawrence Bivins Italy’s love affair with sweet treats began 800 years ago when Venetian merchants acquired sugarcane farms in what today is Lebanon. The story’s latest chapter has brought opportunity to Rocky Mount in the form of Nutkao S.r.l.’s 100,000-sq.-ft....
CROWN LSP BUILDS ON ITS REPUTATION FOR RESPONSIVENESS
By Lawrence Bivins Though much about the logistics business has changed in the 30 years since Deborah and Greg Hodges founded Crown LSP Group, the same fundamentals apply to the company’s value proposition: quality, flexibility, and responsiveness to both customer and...
KEIHIN CAROLINA SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY EXPANDS IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY
RALEIGH Feb 2, 2017 Keihin Carolina System Technology will expand its automotive assembly operations in Edgecombe County, adding 42 jobs over the coming three years, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company plans to invest more than $13 million at its Tarboro...
AT GLENOIT FABRICS CORP, BIG LEAGUE PLANS TAKE SHAPE
By Lawrence Bivins When temperatures drop at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, many of the 75,000+ Carolina Panther fans there proudly wrap themselves in branded all-weather blankets. The 50” x 60” throws are double-layered and water resistant. They come with the...
KANBAN’S RISE AS A LOGISTICS POWERHOUSE SHOWCASES TWIN COUNTIES’ GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
By Lawrence Bivins One consequence of globalization is that today’s companies must keep focused on core aspects of their business in order stay competitive. Succeed-minded manufacturers, for example, concentrate on production while partnering with third-party...
AT BABINGTON TECHNOLOGY, FEEDING PEOPLE IS A GLOBAL INDUSTRY
By Lawrence Bivins Bob Kaczorowski has been a satisfied customer of Babington Technology LLC since 2006. As program director for the Air National Guard’s Disaster Relief Mobile Kitchen Trailer program, he oversees efforts to provide hot meals to large numbers...
WRAL EDITORIAL: REVIVAL OF $272-MILLION CSX HUB WILL BOOST N.C. ECONOMY
A CBC Editorial: Wednesday, July 20, 2016; Editorial# 8031 The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company The timeline could be a tale of miraculous resurrection. In fact, the announced revival Tuesday of the once-left-for-dead CSX transportation hub in...
ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM: LOCAL OFFICIALS CRAFT DEAL TO BRING CSX RAIL HUB TO AREA
Johnston County's loss is the Twin Counties gain, thanks mostly to the efforts of Carolinas Gateway Partnership officials. CSX announced plans in January to build a $272 million trains-to-trucks terminal in Johnston County, but residents there revolted, fearing...
WRAL: CSX FINALLY FINDS HOME FOR CARGO HUB IN ROCKY MOUNT
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — After months of discussion and debate, CSX announced Tuesday that it will build its massive Carolina Connector cargo terminal in Edgecombe County. The $270 million hub, which is expected to open in 2020, will be built across U.S. Highway 301 from...
WASHINGTON POST: CSX LANDS SITE FOR CARGO TERMINAL AFTER 1ST PICK BLOCKED
RALEIGH, N.C. — CSX Corp. will build an intermodal cargo hub near the Virginia border in Edgecombe County after landowner opposition blocked the railroad company’s first option, officials said Tuesday. The CSX hub would transfer 260,000 cargo containers per year...
CSX ANNOUNCES ROCKY MOUNT AS THE HOME OF THE CAROLINA CONNECTOR INTERMODAL TERMINAL
Transformational infrastructure project will bring substantial economic development to the Twin Counties. Rocky Mount, N.C. – The Carolinas Gateway Partnership, in collaboration with Governor McCrory and CSX, announced today that Rocky Mount has been selected as the...
THINKING GLOBALLY. PARTNERING LOCALLY
For Rocky Mount Manufacturer, Community Support Spurs Growth It’s a company with Dutch roots and Italian parents. And its products are critical to the functioning of the world’s most breathtaking trophy properties – like 154-story Burj Khalifa in Dubai, currently the...
CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF JOHN GESSAMAN
The Carolinas Gateway Partnership celebrates the life of former CEO/President, John Gessaman who peacefully passed away on April 18, 2016, surrounded by his wonderful family as he went home to join his Lord. John was the first President/CEO of the Carolinas Gateway...
THE HILLSHIRE BRANDS COMPANY TO CREATE 98 JOBS IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 govpress@nc.gov Raleigh, N.C. -Governor Pat McCrory, North Carolina Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) announced today that The Hillshire Brands Company will create 98...
MOSSY OAK® PARTNERS WITH THE ORIGINAL LOG CABIN HOMES
ROCKY MOUNT, NC - Two legendary brands, Mossy Oak and The Original Log Cabin Homes are bringing together their combined fire power to introduce the "Mossy Oak® Nativ Living™ Edition" of cabins, homes and structures that will be manufactured and distributed by The...
TOLSON LOOKS TO HELP BOOST EXISTING COMPANIES
As the Carolinas Gateway Partnership works diligently to recruit new companies to the area, new President and Chief Executive Officer Norris Tolson also understands the significance of helping grow the industries already operating in the Twin Counties. ...
INCENTIVES SEAL DRAKA’S EXPANSION PLANS
A company in Rocky Mount that manufactures elevator products is planning to add 34 full-time jobs over the next five years as part of an expansion. The Nash County Board of Commissioners approved an inducement agreement Monday for Draka Elevator Products to expand...
NORRIS TOLSON ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE CAROLINAS GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP
On Friday, December 18, 2015 E. Norris Tolson, a native of Pinetops NC, was unanimously elected by the Board of Directors of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership to serve as the new President and CEO of the organization. "The Carolinas Gateway Partnership was created 20...
ECONOMIC SUMMIT EXPLORES BUSINESS RECRUITMENT EFFORTS
“We’re doing a better job of telling our story that we have something for you to come to and hopefully that will help stop that migration.” Oppie Jordan Carolinas Gateway Partnership vice president, Edgecombe County recruiter By COREY DAVIS Staff Writer WILSON – A...
TARBORO COMMERCE SITE RECOGNIZED AS ELECTRICITIES-CERTIFIED SITE
The Tarboro Commerce Site - one of two prime sites in the Tarboro region - has been recognized as an Electricities-certified site. The 124.53 acre commercial site currently only has one tenant, Japanese auto parts manufacturer KCST. The site is located directly...
SOUTHERN BANK MAKES SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE CAROLINAS GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Pictured in the center here is Mike Bryant, Executive Vice President and Area Executive for the West Region of Southern Bank presenting a $25,000 check to Frank Harrison (left) and Don Williams (right) from the Carolinas Gateway Partnership. Rocky Mount NC...
NASH COUNTY IN TOP TEN FOR JOBS, RANKS FIFTH IN MANUFACTURING
By COREY DAVIS Manufacturing continuously has been a leading industry in the local area. In Nash County, Carolina Gateway Partnership Vice President Krista Ikirt said, the labor force roughly is about 44,000. She added manufacturing jobs make up as much as 18 percent...
PARTNERSHIP GETS NEW CHAIRMAN
Changes are taking place within the hierarchy of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership. As the partnership continues its search for a new president and chief executive officer, another move was recently made at the top by the local public-private industrial recruitment...
GOOD LEADERSHIP DRIVES CAROLINAS GATEWAY CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Thanks to the legacy of John Gessaman and the leadership of Frank Harrison, once again, the Carolinas Gateway Partnership has completed another record capital campaign. Even though John Gessaman has retired as the first, and only chief executive officer of the...
WELLS FARGO CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANT DONATION TO THE CAROLINAS GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP
Rocky Mount NC - Wells Fargo has once again renewed its support of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership for the next five years with a financial contribution of $50,000 presented to the organization’s Capital Campaign. During a presentation held at the Carolinas Gateway...