Economic developers have a clear impact on the Wilmington region connecting the area to potential job creators and new companies. While not in the selection pool for the WilmingtonBiz 100, their efforts, however, bear significance and are included in this roundup.
 
New Jersey-based Pacon Manufacturing plans to relocate some operations to Navassa to create 299 jobs and make a capital investment of $37.6 million, Gov. Roy Cooper announced in April during a visit to the Brunswick County site.
 
North Carolina’s Southeast, an agency covering 18 counties, and Brunswick Business and Industry Development (Brunswick BID), helped to recruit the business.
 
Brunswick BID executive director Bill Early said Pacon was prepping for operations sometime in 2020. The company plans to move its manufacturing and distribution from New Jersey to Navassa.
 
Pacon develops and manufactures wipes, pads, towels and liquids for the consumer, industrial and medical industries.
 
Steve Yost, president of North Carolina’s Southeast, said his agency is now working to conduct a regional industry and business sector analysis of its region supported by a $148,000 federal grant.
 
Meanwhile, Brunswick BID and Columbus County economic development officials are working on a project to develop water and sewer infrastructure at two megasites at the county line.
 
Brunswick BID has been developing its first strategic plan this year.
 
Wilmington Business Development (WBD), the agency that serves New Hanover and Pender counties, said it is recruiting developers to construct buildings of 100,000 square feet or more to meet market demand.
 
Two companies are looking to invest in land at Pender Commerce Park. One could create 50 jobs.
 
WBD will create a master plan for the New Hanover County-owned, 120-acre Blue Clay Road industrial site. It also helped support South-Tek Systems, which announced plans this fall to relocate from the North Kerr area to U.S. 421 and grow to 75 employees in a year.

 

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Read more about the WilmingtonBiz 100 by clicking here.