News and Announcements
Protocase Firm Focus Growth Here
August 13, 2026
Credit: Wilmington Biz
By Emma Dill
In five years, the Proto companies, which include Protocase and subsidiaries 45Drives, Protospace Mfg and Protomentum, plan to generate $1 billion in annual revenue, according to Protocase co-founder Doug Milburn.
Much of that growth is slated to happen in Wilmington.
“All of our growth in the near future will be focused here,” said Milburn, who also serves as Protocase’s vice president and board chairman. “We want to give enough headroom that ideally all ... Continue Reading
Amazon Begins Hiring As Local Facilities Near Completion
Credit: Wilmington Biz
By Emma Dill
Amazon began hiring this summer for its Wilmington-area fulfillment center and plans to start hiring for a nearby delivery station in the coming weeks.
The robotics fulfillment center is expected to create more than 1,000 full-time jobs, while officials have said the delivery station could create more than 100 full-time positions. Both facilities remain on track to open in time for the holiday season, according to Danny Vivenzio, an Amazon spokesperson.
The company ... Continue Reading
County Business Park To Get First Infrastructure, New Name
July 15, 2026
Credit: Wilmington Biz
By Emma Dill
New Hanover County’s Holly Shelter Business Park is set to get its first infrastructure and a new name in the coming months.
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $6.5 million infrastructure construction contract and renaming on Monday. Once developed, the approximately 300-acre master-planned industrial park is expected to accommodate more than 2 million square feet of industrial space.
The construction contract was awarded to Carolina Civilworks, which submitted the ... Continue Reading
Beverage Distributor Plans To Grow Footprint In Pender Commerce Park
July 13, 2026
Credit: Wilmington Biz
By Emma Dill
Coastal Beverage Company plans to expand its Pender Commerce Park facility, with more than 100,000 square feet of new warehouse space.
The proposed 104,000-square-foot expansion is scheduled to go before Pender County’s Technical Review Committee on Wednesday. In addition to growing the building to nearly 258,000 square feet – the size of nearly 4.5 football fields – the project would also add several loading docks and service road access, according to site ... Continue Reading
Zephyr Development Breaks Ground on Wilmington Industrial Park
January 22, 2026
January 21, 2026
Wilmington’s Newest Class A Flex Industrial Development
Zephyr Development Co. is proud to announce the groundbreaking of Wilmington Industrial Park, a new Class A flex industrial development located at 2501 Blue Clay Road, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401. Strategically positioned in one of Wilmington’s most accessible industrial corridors, the project is designed to meet the growing demand for modern, flexible industrial space in the region.
Wilmington Industrial Park spans 23 acres and will deliver approximately 250,000± ... Continue Reading
Coastal Millwork, Risley Padula Construction become first tenants at Blue Clay Business Park
November 19, 2025
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – On Wednesday, November 19, New Hanover County’s Blue Clay Business Park officially welcomed its first occupants to the complex.
Coastal Millwork Supply Co. and its sister company, Risley Padula Construction Inc., held an open house at the companies’ newly finished 68,000-square-foot facility. These two homegrown firms supply and install interior doors, trim, stair parts, and cabinets to single- and multi-family residential builders throughout the region, particularly in Southeastern North Carolina.
“Creating ... Continue Reading
Amazon Moves Ahead with Second Facility at Pender Commerce Park
October 31, 2025
It’s been six months since regional leaders joined executives from Amazon [Nasdaq: AMZN] in celebrating the Seattle-based retailer’s plans for a massive, robotics-driven fulfillment center at Pender Commerce Park that will support its southeastern U.S. business. More recently, company officials also commenced work nearby on a “last-mile” delivery station that will directly serve Amazon’s Greater Wilmington customers.
“Construction of this 3 million-sq.-ft. fulfillment center is progressing tremendously,” says Sam Blatt, Amazon’s Senior Manager of Economic Development ... Continue Reading
Polyhose Expansion at Pender Commerce Park Supports U.S. Customers
Polyhose, the India-based maker of industrial tubing and hoses, announced its initial plans for a U.S. location at Pender Commerce Park in late 2019. Less than five years later, the company began moving into Phase 2 of its strategy – doubling its initial footprint and adding workers. Phase 2 is now complete, and President Mo Millwala says the company’s Wilmington operations support the sustained growth of its U.S. business.
“The expansion is now complete,” Millwala ... Continue Reading
Kesseböhmer Completes Phase I of Consolidated U.S. Headquarters
It’s been two years since Kesseböhmer announced plans for a consolidated U.S. headquarters in New Hanover County. The privately held metalworks company had previously operated out of downtown Wilmington office space and a leased warehouse in Leland. Its decision to build a $29 million facility off U.S. Highway 421 was an opportunity to create efficient, well-positioned operations in support of its growing market for retail merchandizing displays.
“The Phase 1 building is complete and we’ve moved ... Continue Reading
Milam Assumes Chairmanship of WBD; Two Business Leaders Join Board
WBD’s leadership ranks have always read like a Who’s Who of influential business names, and this summer saw fresh perspective added to the WBD board of directors with the addition of CEOs from two fast-growing national companies. At the same time, a seasoned WBD member and regional real estate icon stepped up to assume the important role of Board Chairman.
The new directors include Ryan Legg, CEO of MegaCorp Logistics, one of America’s top freight ... Continue Reading
