by Think Currituck, on 7/5/21 8:00 AM
This year is only half over and already North Carolina has been experiencing many strong signs of economic recuperation from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In spite of resulting numerous setbacks in 2020, the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) soldiered on to bolster existing businesses and industries, as well as to create the
foundations for new ones.
Based on announcements published by the aforementioned agencies, here's a brief but encouraging look at the top 10 signs of economic recovery so far in 2021...
COMPANY: Apple
JOBS CREATED: 3,000
PROJECT: Newest research and development campus
LOCATION: Raleigh
INVESTMENT: $1 billion by 2032
MORE INFORMATION: Gov. Roy Cooper stated on April 26: “Innovation has long been North Carolina’s calling card and Apple’s decision to build this new campus in the Research Triangle showcases the importance of our state’s favorable business climate, world-class universities, our tech-ready workforce, and the welcoming and diverse communities that make so many people want to call North Carolina home. This announcement will benefit communities across our state and we are proud
to work together to continue to grow our economy and bring transformational industries and good paying jobs to North Carolina.” – Full Press Release/April 26, 2021
COMPANY: FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies USA Inc.
JOBS CREATED: 725
PROJECT: Biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility
LOCATION: Holly Springs
INVESTMENT: $2 billion
MORE INFORMATION: “The company brings over 30 years of experience to the development and manufacturing of life-saving products, such as recombinant proteins, viral vaccines, viral vectors, monoclonal antibodies, and other large molecules and medical countermeasures. The company offers a comprehensive list of services from cell line development, using its proprietary pAVEway™ microbial
and ApolloX™ cell line systems, to process development, analytical development, and clinical and FDA-approved commercial manufacturing.” – Full Press Release/March 18, 2021
COMPANY: Credit Karma
JOBS CREATED: 600
PROJECT: Expansion with a new high-tech engineering hub
LOCATION: Charlotte
INVESTMENT: $13-plus million
MORE INFORMATION: “Credit Karma is a consumer technology platform best known for providing more than four billion free credit scores to consumers. The company has since grown into a go-to destination for more than 110 million members globally for everything related to their financial goals, including identity monitoring, applying for credit cards, shopping for loans (car, home and personal), savings accounts and now checking accounts both offered through banking partner, MVB Bank Inc.,
Member FDIC. This latest expansion will create an east coast engineering hub for software development and programming functions for new products and services throughout the world.” – Full Press Release/May 25, 2021
COMPANY: White River Marine Group LLC
JOBS CREATED: 500
PROJECT: Coastal manufacturing site
LOCATION: New Bern
INVESTMENT: $5.4 million reimbursement over 12 years
MORE INFORMATION: “The expansion will shift the focus of the company’s saltwater
manufacturing from the Midwest to the sea, closer to the saltwater market and a thriving community of craftsmen and women. The company will continue to support and grow Hatteras, as well as relocate production of iconic saltwater boat brands MAKO and Ranger Saltwater to New Bern, which is a premier location for saltwater fishing.” – Full Press Release/May 20, 2021
COMPANY: Fidelity Investments
JOBS CREATED: 500 over next few quarters
PROJECT: New regional center
LOCATION: Durham
INVESTMENT: Information unavailable
MORE INFORMATION: “The 500 jobs will be part of a new business function for Fidelity Investments’ portfolio in North Carolina, which until now, has focused on technology that supports all company business lines, as well as customer service for 401(k) and other workplace clients. The company notes that candidates do not need to be a licensed financial professional to be hired.” – Full Press Release/May 12, 2021
COMPANY: Carolina Coops
JOBS CREATED: 500 by 2026
PROJECT: Production facility
LOCATION: Butner
INVESTMENT: $2.1 million
MORE INFORMATION: Founded in Durham in 2009, Carolina Coops is a family-owned producer of superior, walk-in chicken coops and related accessories. The company designs, manufactures and distributes the handcrafted backyard coops globally. In high demand for their durability and signature deep litter beds, Carolina Coops offers standard and customized henhouses for functional farmers to purchase online. Carolina Coops returns to North Carolina from upstate New York to expand their manufacturing footprint just outside of Creedmoor, in the Town of Butner. – Full Press Release/May 5, 2021
COMPANY: Robinhood Markets Inc.
JOBS CREATED: Nearly 400
PROJECT: Office establishment
LOCATION: Charlotte
INVESTMENT: $11.7 million
MORE INFORMATION: “Robinhood is a mobile-first investing platform known for pioneering commission-free trading with no account minimums, lowering the barriers for millions of investors to participate in the financial markets. Founded in 2013, Robinhood offers investing in stocks, options, exchange traded funds and cash management products through its brokerage, Robinhood Financial, crypto trading through Robinhood Crypto, and a suite of educational resources for first-time investors interested in building long-term, generational wealth.” – Full Press Release/March 30, 2021
COMPANY: PennyMac Financial Services Inc.
JOBS CREATED: More than 300 jobs
PROJECT: Establish a mortgage fulfillment production center
LOCATION: Cary
INVESTMENT: $4.3 million
MORE INFORMATION: “Named a top three lender by Inside Mortgage Finance, PennyMac focuses on the production and servicing of mortgage loans and the management of investments related to the U.S. mortgage market. This latest expansion will support the mortgage fulfillment functions of the company’s direct lending operations, which includes loan processing, underwriting, closing and
funding. The company’s new footprint will span 35,000 square feet of production, business technology, and IT support.” – Full Press Release/Jan. 26, 2021
COMPANY: Invitae Corp.
JOBS CREATED: 374 over next decade
PROJECT: Testing, lab facility
LOCATION: Morrisville
INVESTMENT: $114.6 million
MORE INFORMATION: “San Francisco-based Invitae follows a mission to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. The company’s project in Wake County will establish an advanced genetics testing laboratory on the East Coast of the United States, to support Invitae’s fast growing business. The Morrisville lab is expected to initially ramp up capacity to volume levels similar to Invitae’s flagship San Francisco laboratory facility, with additional growth projected in future years.” – Full Press Release/April 20, 2021
COMPANY: Gilead Sciences
JOBS CREATED: 275
PROJECT: Services, information technology hub
LOCATION: Wake County
INVESTMENT: Up to $5 million
MORE INFORMATION: “Gilead Sciences, with headquarters in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. With each new discovery and investigational drug candidate, the company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses. With operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, Gilead’s primary areas of focus are virology, inflammation, and oncology. The company’s project in North Carolina will create a new Business Services center delivering financial, human resources, and information technology services, including cybersecurity and digital transformation initiatives.” – Full Press Release/Feb. 9, 2021
