Brunswick and Pender were the subjects of major economic development news in 2019, while one small job announcements had taken place in New Hanover County as of Dec. 10.
A company based in India is bringing 51 new jobs and nearly $8 million in investment to Pender Commerce Park, Gov. Roy Cooper and local officials announced last month.
Hose manufacturer Polyhose Inc. is establishing its North American headquarters in the park, planning to open a 40,000-square-foot facility that will include assembly and distribution, Jonathan Pressler, senior vice president of Polyhose Inc., said during the announcement Nov. 26 at the commerce park.
The facility is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of next year. Plans are to add an additional 60,000 square feet in a couple of years, Pressler said.
Polyhose manufactures thermoplastic, hydraulic, PTFE and industrial hoses and tubings for large equipment companies such as Caterpillar, Boeing, Graco and Wagner SprayTech, according to a news release. It has operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia and 1,800 employees globally.
Another company, Morbix LLC, was given approval in August by the Pender County Board of Commissioners to purchase 12.2 acres at Pender Commerce Park for $634,400. Morbix submitted site plans to Pender County’s planning department in late October for a 126,000-square-foot industrial building. The company was expected to close on the property sometime in mid-January, Morbix owner Chris Ramm said in November. He did not share additional details about what the firm plans to do with the site. Pender Commerce Park, where existing tenants include Acme, FedEx Freight and Empire Distributors, was completed as part of a partnership between Pender County and Wilmington Business Development in 2011.
In April, Cooper visited the Cape Fear region to announce that a manufacturer plans to start operations in Brunswick County, bringing 299 jobs to a long-shuttered facility in Navassa.
New Jersey-based Pacon Manufacturing Corp. intends to invest $37.6 million at the former U.S. Marine building on Quality Drive, which has been vacant since 2008.
Pacon Manufacturing, a 70-yearold company, makes professional and consumer products including surgical drapes for the medical industry as well as disinfecting wipes and makeup remover pads on the consumer end.
In New Hanover County, SeaTrust Mortgage Co., a subsidiary of South Carolina-based Community First Bank, announced in August plans to bring 15 to 20 jobs to the region initially and grow to more than 100 jobs by 2021, said John Owens, president of the firm.
For a full list of the top stories of 2019, click here.
