Press Releases

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 77 of North Carolina’s counties in May, decreased in eight, and remained unchanged in 15. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 8.6 percent while Orange County had the lowest at 3.3 percent. Thirteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases, one decreased, and one remained unchanged. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 6.5 percent while Durham-Chapel Hill had the lowest at 3.7 percent. The May not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 4.5 percent.

Elkay Manufacturing, a leading producer of sinks and water delivery products, will expand its operations in Robeson County, leading to the creation of 20 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $5.5 million in a facility in Lumberton, becoming the first tenant in the Lumberton/Robeson County I-95/I-74 Industrial Park.

More than 300,000 new jobs will be created in North Carolina by 2028, most in service-providing industry sectors, according to new employment projections released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce.  Most industry sectors operating in the state are projected to grow, with jobs in both health care and professional, scientific, and technical fields expected to grow the most.

Precision Swiss Products, Inc. a manufacturer of high precision component parts, will create 125 new jobs in Brunswick County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $9.3 million to locate its headquarters and manufacturing facility to the International Logistics Park shared by Brunswick and Columbus counties.

The state’s seasonally adjusted May unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, decreasing 0.2 of a percentage point from April’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.3 of a percentage point to 5.8 percent. North Carolina’s May 2021 unemployment rate decreased 8.7 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed decreased 4,550 over the month to 4,757,351 and increased 605,656 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 11,691 over the month to 239,523 and decreased 407,991 over the year.

Lotus Bakeries, a leading producer of indulgent and natural snacking products, will expand operations in North Carolina with an investment of at least $62 million in the City of Mebane, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will add up to 90 new jobs and significantly increase the size of its current facility in Alamance County.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 11 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,989,034, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 964 jobs, 144 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $264 million in private investment.   

KNOLL America Inc., a supplier of conveyor and filtration systems, will create 31 new jobs in Gaston County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $7.8 million to locate a new U.S. headquarters operations and manufacturing facility in Gaston County’s Apple Creek Corporate Park. “We are excited to have another global manufacturer choose North Carolina for its headquarters,” said Governor Cooper. “This decision affirms our state’s reputation of having a strong manufacturing workforce and great quality of life.”

The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center at the North Carolina Department of Commerce has announced that 52 North Carolina communities have been designated as a 2021 Accredited Main Street America™ program.

North Carolina’s success in winning high-impact economic development projects was recognized today with a coveted Gold Shovel Award from Area Development magazine, a leading industry trade publication covering corporate site selection and economic development.