Where you’ll find usNAHB International Builders ShowJanuary 22-24, 2013 Las Vegas, NV www.buildersshow.com

NCEDA Midwinter Conference March 12-13, 2013 Pinehurst, NC www.nceda.org

IAMC Spring ForumMarch 16-20, 2013 Charleston, SC www.iamc.org

Carolinas’ Idea Exchange March 18-19, 2013 Charlotte, NC www.icsc.org

BIO International Convention April 22-25, 2013Chicago, ILwww.convention.bio.org

Civil Aviation Manufacturing/Expo May 7-8, 2013 Charlotte, NCwww.events.aviationweek.com

1 2

Where to locate

ElectriCities membership

industrial sites

industrial buildings

commercial buildings

3. Greenville14,000 sq. ft.; warehousing/light manufacturing; zoned commercial/industrial. Consists of three buildings that can be purchased separately or together.

4. WindsorStateline Building; 18,000 sq. ft.; zoned light industrial. This metal structure is ideal for warehouse/distribution.

5 6

3 4

Developments is a publication of the Strategic Communications Division, ElectriCities of NC, Inc. in coordination with and for the Economic Development Program. For information on ElectriCities and Economic Development, contact Brenda Daniels at: 919/760-6363 (office); 919/760-6060 (fax); 919/218-7027 (mobile); 800/768-7697 ext. 6363. Via email or Internet at bdaniels@electricities.org or www.electricities.com

1. ShelbyThis 152-acre certified site is in a premiere location, and only five miles from the executive Shelby-Cleveland County Regional Airport.

2. EdentonCovering more than 54 acres, this site is located adjacent to Edenton Airport and Edenton-Chowan Industrial Park; 18 buildings are located on the property.

5. Fayetteville107 Hay Street; 4,190 sq. ft.; two stories for commercial and/or office space. 6. Concord363 Church St. N. This 45,000 sq. ft. mixed-use for office or retail; comprised of two historic buildings joined together.

Developments

On September 19, corporate powerhouse

ABB opened its 240,000 square foot

manufacturing plant at the Commerce Station

business park in Huntersville, NC.

The plant produces high voltage and extra

high voltage transmission cables and includes

a 430-foot tower that reaches one-and-half

football fields high. Even more impressive is

the reach the plant has on the community.

ABB invested $90 million in the facility, which

now employs more than 100 people.

What makes this announcement so

interesting is that in addition to carrying

electricity much faster than traditional

transmission lines, these cables will play a

key role in the implementation of the smart

grid by allowing a two-way flow of energy

between the supplier and user.

During the past several years there has

been a focused effort to grow the energy

sector in Greater Charlotte. A quick look

at the numbers proves that the regions’

economic developers have been quite

successful. Collectively, more than 200

energy firms employ roughly 15,000

people. The major players include Duke

Energy, Siemens, SPX, Westinghouse,

and now ABB.

“The addition of ABB adds significant clout

to an already impressive roster of energy

companies,” said Jerry Broadway, executive

director of the Lake Norman Regional

Economic Development Corporation based

in Huntersville. “The fact that this is one

of only a handful of facilities worldwide

capable of making these cables is incredibly

exciting, and speaks highly to the skill level

of our workforce.”

ABB, the world’s leading provider of

transmission and distribution equipment

for the power grid, already has a huge

commitment in the State of North Carolina.

Its North American headquarters are in Cary,

its North American Power headquarters

are in Raleigh, and it has other facilities in

Pinetops, Kings Mountain, Weaverville and

Marion. In total, the company employs more

than 1,500 people in the state. The new

Huntersville location is expected to have

a total of 135 jobs once fully staffed, and

remaining job opportunities can be found at

www.abb.com/careers.

in this issue:

High Voltage Huntersville

QUICK FACTS: Zurich, Switzerland-based ABB has its North American main office in Cary

The workforce was one of the primary reasons ABB came to Huntersville

ABBs arrival in Huntersville could add even more jobs long-term to the area

economic development news From nc Public Power Q4 2012

High voltage Huntersville 1Great news! 2

Benefiting from a smart grid 2Around the state 3

Where you’ll find us 5Available resources 5

Where to locate 6ElectriCities membership 6

4Q available resourcesState Library Administrative Grants

The Grants to State Library Administrative Agencies Program offers

individual state allotments that are based on population. The grant

money provides state libraries with funding to support statewide

initiatives and services. The priority of this grant is to expand services

for learning and access to information and educational resources in a

variety of formats, in all types of libraries, for individuals of all ages.

Deadline: April 2, 2013

Contact: http://imls.gov/programs/programs.shtm

Let’s Play Community Construction Grants

Dr Pepper Snapple & KaBOOM! are excited to offer $15,000 grants to

qualifying U.S.-based organizations to be used toward the purchase

of playground equipment that will be built using the KaBOOM!

community-build model. Grantees will plan their project, share best

practices and challenges through Our Dream Playground.

Deadline: Application form will reopen in early 2013

Contact: grants@kaboom.org

Eastern North Carolina’s Public Power communities are among the best places in the country to live and do business. ElectriCities’ seasoned, experienced

Economic Development staff is dedicated to

helping these communities continue to grow

and prosper.

We partner with our member cities to provide customized

assistance with all aspects of economic development. Our

comprehensive approach begins at project outset and continues

through the site selection and building processes. We actively

work with the N.C. Department of Commerce and site selectors

and participate in national trade shows to recruit industries and

bring jobs to our hometowns.

What can we do for you? From site

selection to targeted recruiting to grant

assistance and marketing, we’ve got all the

tools and expertise you need to successfully

develop your business. To help us serve you

better, let us know more about your needs

and areas of interest.

BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS: proven strategies for economic development in North Carolina

Proven, comprehensive economic development solutions for eastern North Carolina.

Brenda DanielsManager, Economic Development800.768.7697, ext. 6363bdaniels@electricities.org

Conley HilliardEconomic Developer800.768.7697, ext. 6325chilliar@electricities.org

AErosPACE

BIoTECH

MILITArY

MArINE

fooD ProCEssINg

“When you’re ready to relocate to eastern North Carolina, we will work with the power agency rate staff to develop a customized proposal.”

Brenda DanielsManager of Economic Development

TArgETsECTors

Jennings grayRetail Development Specialist800.768.7697, ext. 6303jgray@electricities.org

ABB’s new Huntersville location is expected to have a total of 135 jobs once fully staffed. Photo courtesy of Solar Power World.

DEVELOPMENTS_4Q_2012.indd 1 11/19/2012 4:10:36 PM

concordBonded Logistics has opened a 127,000 square-foot distribution center at The International Business Park in Concord, where there eventually will be 20 employees.

OILES America Corporation broke ground on an $8 million 50,000-square-foot expansion at its North American corporate headquarters in Cabarrus County. This is the Japanese company’s third expansion at the International Business Park in Concord and will create between 15 and 30 jobs when the manufacturing facility expansion is finished in fall 2013.

lincolntonAll-natural snack maker, RW Garcia, is planning for a $2 million expansion to its only East Coast plant, which is located in the Lincoln County Industrial Park. Along with the expansion, the company is expected to add 15 to 20 jobs.

Brazil-based Sabo USA plans to invest $2 million and hire at least 12 more people within two years at its Lincoln County Industrial Park operations. The automotive industry supplier will begin installing new equipment by November.

denVerHydac broke ground on its $9.6 million 54,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Lincoln County’s Airlie Business Park. The German company will make cooling systems at the Denver location and employ about 54 people when it opens in 2013.

Forest citYFacebook’s new data center in Forest City, NC, came online in April. The site is home to the California-based company’s second data center. The new server farm provides Facebook with additional IT capacity for its 850 million users.

Valley Fine Foods, a consumer food manufacturer with headquarters near Napa Valley, CA, will open a new East Coast manufacturing operation over the next three years in Forest City. According to the company, the new operation is expected to create at least 305 jobs.

laurinburgFCC (North Carolina), LLC, a manufacturer of automotive components, will expand its

operations in Scotland County. The company plans to create 66 jobs and invest more than $57 million over the next three years in Laurinburg. The company currently employs more than 140 people at its Laurinburg facility.

rocKY mountHospira, a leading provider of injectable medicines, will modernize and expand the capabilities of its operations in Nash County. The company plans to create 200 additional jobs and make new capital investments for the improvement of its facilities. The investment will be at least $85 million over the next three years and could grow to $270 million over the next 10 years.

statesVillePate Dawson, a Goldsboro-based food distribution company, broke ground on its new Statesville distribution facility in August. The 127-year-old, family-owned firm announced in December the purchase of the 63,000-square-foot Statesville speculative building, and will add an additional 42,000 square feet while up-fitting the facility. The company will create 49 jobs when it begins operations next spring.

neWtonA small Newton company plans to double its employment and add a recycling service as it celebrates its second anniversary. Core 3, which now has five employees, makes paper tubes and cores used by fabric and fabric-finishing firms, composites makers, bubble wrap makers and other industries. The company expects to grow to about a dozen workers during the next few years as manufacturing lines are added.

Great news! Around the stateFive new communities have been chosen to participate in the Office

of Urban Development’s 2012 Small Town Main Street program.

Cherryville, Elizabethtown, Richlands, Saluda and Spencer were

selected through a competitive statewide application process.

With these five new towns the total number of the state’s Small

Town Main Street communities is now 44. Small Town Main Street,

which began in eastern North Carolina in 2003 and was expanded

to include the entire state in 2007, provides downtown revitalization

assistance to selected smaller towns (under 7,500 in population)

that lack the resources to pursue the N.C. Main Street program.

Participating communities receive two years of monthly, on-site

technical services from Small Town Main Street staff. Following the

initial two-year period, communities may choose to continue in the

program, receiving more limited services on an as-needed basis.

It’s ‘Da!’ for donuts. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will enter Russia

after signing a franchise agreement with LLC Doughnuts Café, which

plans to build 40 stores in Moscow within five years. Arkady Novikov,

a Moscow-based restaurateur, owns LLC Doughnuts.

Lexington Medical Center will spend $1.8 million enlarging its

emergency department to 12,000 square feet due to an increase in

patient visits. The center will add nine treatment rooms for a total of

26 rooms – increasing its overall size by 70%.

Carolinas HealthCare System broke ground at CMC-Pineville on its

rehabilitation hospital and long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital. The

$40 million, 86,500-square-foot building will have 29 rehabilitation

beds and 40 LTAC beds. The hospital system’s 40-bed rehabilitation

in Concord is already under construction.

The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund has begun work on an $11 million

treatment center for service members suffering from traumatic brain

injuries and post-traumatic stress. The 25,000-square-foot center is

expected to be finished within three years at Camp Lejeune. It will

then be given to the Department of Defense.

Show biz is big biz in North Carolina. In 2011, spending by film

and television projects in our state totaled more than $121 million

according to tax records from the N.C. Department of Revenue.

Twenty-five productions were filmed in North Carolina last year and

they employed about 10,500 people.

North Carolina ranked number four in CNBC’s annual survey of

America’s Top States for Business. According to CNBC’s report,

North Carolina continued to perform well in the Workforce category,

placing third. In addition, the report says that North Carolina ranked

high in Technology and Transportation. North Carolina has finished in

the top 10 in all six years of CNBC’s business rankings.

Immersion Media, a Fayetteville-based multimedia group

specializing in 3D animation, HD video and web and mobile

experiences, has been brought on board to develop special features

for INDYCAR’s official website. In addition to developing INDYCAR’s

Fantasy Racing program, Immersion Media will enhance INDYCAR’s

online fan experience with virtual laps of each racetrack. The team will

also produce INDYCAR 101 videos that will be posted on INDYCAR’s

YouTube Channel and on INDYCAR Mobile.

The Wireless Research Center of North Carolina (WRCNC),

located in Wake Forest, is a non-profit organization focused on

economic growth by supporting research, development, testing and

regulatory assistance for current and next-generation wireless antenna

technologies. The center provides cost-effective ready access to test

laboratories and expertise that will make companies more competitive

in the commercialization of technologies and universities more

competitive when seeking government commercial grants. Financed by

the Town of Wake Forest and a grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation,

and drawing upon input from the N.C. Department of Commerce, the

center’s facilities and organizational structure are unique in the nation. It

has worked with projects as far afield as Israel, Sweden and Japan.

The City of Lumberton was the

winner of the 2011 Governor’s

Innovative Small Business

Community Award for its

designation as the state’s first

Certified Retirement Community

(CRC). The sign recognizing

this honor was unveiled at a

presentation on June 1. The CRC

goal is to attract persons aged 55 and older to retire in Lumberton

based on identified assets which may be of interest to this population

including climate, affordable housing, cost of living, taxes and access

to medical care, to name a few. The city believes that by strategically

attracting retirees to Lumberton and other areas of the state, increased

economic development activity and social capital can be leveraged in

a unique way. The city raised $10,000 from private and local resources

for this effort and plans to further support this initiative by identifying

specific projects that support the needs of potential retirees.

Concord will receive a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of

Transportation to complete the city’s Traffic Management System. The

grant will provide Concord with the resources to complete projects

including the installation of 20 to 30 traffic surveillance cameras, traffic

signal updates, connecting 100 to 130 signalized intersections, and

implementing complete street strategies at pedestrian crosswalks

and ramps.

Southern Business & Development, a leading publication covering

and promoting economic development in the American South,

announced that North Carolina has been named the “2012 State of the

Year.” North Carolina is being honored as State of the Year based on its

performance in 2011. Southern Business & Development ranks states

Shelby mayor, Stan Anthony, is proud to welcome Schletter, Inc. as its

newest corporate citizen. “We look forward to a long and mutually

beneficial relationship with them. We’re especially thrilled they chose the

Foothills Commerce Center and the shell building constructed by the city in

partnership with Cleveland County.”

Schletter Inc., a German-based maker of solar power mounting systems,

picked Shelby to be its new U.S. corporate headquarters and production site.

The $27 million facility is slated to be at full production by the end of 2016

and will bring 305 jobs to the town.

Ludwig Schletter, owner of parent company Schletter Corp. of Germany, says

the Shelby facility will bring faster delivery for the business’ customers along

the East Coast.

The company will receive $630,000 from the One North Carolina Fund along

with a state grant equal to 65 percent of the state withholding tax from its

workers. That could generate almost $3 million in incentives for Schletter.

No doubt about it; Schletter made a good decision to select Shelby!

Schletter selects Shelby

Brenda Daniels is ElectriCities’ Manager of Economic Development.

based on each project announced with a minimum of 200 jobs and/

or $30 million investment. In 2011, North Carolina was successful in

landing 89 projects that met or exceeded the publication’s benchmark,

more than any other state.

Former N.C. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for

Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding Lynn Minges spoke

with Chowan County leaders about ways to maximize the impact of

tourism at a luncheon meeting in Edenton. She led a discussion about

ways to embrace and expand tourism as an economic development

strategy, stressing communication, collaboration and cooperation.

Minges demonstrated the Chowan County area’s growth in tourism

by reviewing local and statewide visitor spending, employment,

payroll, and tax revenue over the last decade with the audience. She

also reviewed the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development’s

marketing programs and objectives.

Southport businesses earned a large chunk of the millions in revenue

the film “Safe Haven” spent in the region during filming. Filmmakers

of this movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel were expected to

spend between $15 million and $20 million in North Carolina on

qualifying expenses, such as crew salaries, lodgings and construction

costs, according to the N.C. Film Office. In the past, movies filmed in

Southport have helped attract visitors for at least a decade after the

cameras have stopped rolling, Mayor Robert Howard said. “In our

experience, we’ll have an impact of 10 to 12 years out after a movie

has filmed here,” Howard said. “’Crimes of the Heart’ is an example

of that. People still ask where they can see the home they saw in the

movie. The more successful the film, the more successful we are.”

With the help of approximately $2 million in grants and donations,

a few organizations in Wilson are building the Vollis Simpson

Whirligig Park. Simpson, a self-taught North Carolina artist famed

for his whimsical, wind-powered whirligigs—wind-driven creations

constructed from motor fans, cotton spindles and other recycled parts,

which can stand as high as 50 feet. The park is scheduled to open

in November 2013. Between now and then, a team of engineers is

sprucing up about 30 of Simpson’s whirligigs that have spent decades

in the elements, including more than a few hurricanes.

(L-R) N.C. Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco and Hospira Vice President for Rocky Mount Operations Marty Nealey at an August 23 groundbreaking ceremony.

Benefiting from a Smart GridProviding a complete and easy-to-

understand definition of the smart grid is

pretty tough. With that said, a great way

for energy customers to comprehend its

potential benefits is to look at a current

real world scenario. As the electric

grid exists today, a homeowner with

solar panels must use the energy they

generate immediately or it will be lost

forever. However, because most people

work during peak daylight hours, much of

that residential generation is never used.

But with a smart grid the homeowner

could sell his unused power back into

the system, allowing others to use that

extra electricity. He would receive credit

toward his monthly bill, the energy

wouldn’t be wasted, and the power

company wouldn’t have to generate as

much electricity since they could just

redistribute the homeowner’s surplus.

A win-win for everyone.

While several smart grid technologies

currently exist, like the high voltage and

extra high voltage transmission cables

being made in Huntersville, many more

are still under development. So why is

this such good news for North Carolina?

Industry experts agree that our state

will play a major role in the development

and implementation of

this next generation

energy delivery system.

The net result should

be more economic

development

opportunities for

our communities.

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