News and Announcements
Two Major Economic Development Projects Select ILM Business Park; Furthering Economic Investment and Growth
November 4, 2021
Wilmington, NC (November 4, 2021)— At a press event this morning, The Wilmington International Airport announced that two companies, CIL Capital, LLC and Edgewater Ventures, have each selected the ILM Business Park as the location of their strategic business investment and development. The ILM Business Park, which encompasses 140 acres on airport property, has foreign trade zone status, access to Customs, close proximity to major highways, rail, Port, and an airfield, and is minutes to ... Continue Reading
PROPERTY TECH FIRM VANTACA WILL DOUBLE WILMINGTON WORKFORCE
September 28, 2021
Provider of Software as a Service to Expand, Continue Local Investment
September 28, 2021 (Wilmington, N.C.) – Vantaca LLC, an industry-leading cloud-based solution provider for association management companies, will add 104 employees to its existing 100-person Wilmington workforce, more than doubling its personnel as the fast-growing property technology company launches a $4.2 million expansion to its headquarters operation. Governor Roy Cooper announced the privately held company’s selection of Wilmington earlier today.
North Carolina is one of ... Continue Reading
REGION’S COLD STORAGE CAPACITY TO GET MAJOR BOOST WITH NEW INVESTMENT AT PENDER COMMERCE PARK
August 2, 2021
National Developer Investing Significantly in Port Regions
August 2, 2021 (Wilmington, N.C.) – A commercial real estate developer plans to build a state-of-the-art cold storage facility at Pender Commerce Park. RealtyLink, a privately-held full-service real estate development company, will construct as much as 300,000-sq.-ft. of refrigerated warehouse space that will serve a third-party logistics tenant. Greater Wilmington is among five port regions where the Greenville, S.C.-based firm is building cold storage facilities.
“We welcome this game-changing addition to ... Continue Reading
WBD Invitational Set to Break New Records
July 19, 2021
The WBD Membership Invitation -- the region’s foremost business golfing event –– is set for October 13th of this year. The tournament will be bigger than ever, taking place on both the River Course and the Landing Course at River Landing Country Club in Wallace. Coming off a year of COVID-related social distancing, participation at the 2021 Invitational has been full for weeks, with a record 72 teams confirmed to compete.
First National Bank [NYSE: FNB], ... Continue Reading
ARP Funds to Support Water and Wastewater Service at Blue Clay Business Park
The nation’s American Rescue Plan (ARP), which distributes $1.9 trillion in pandemic economic relief across the country, is set to fund important infrastructure at an emerging industrial property in New Hanover County. The 120-acre Blue Clay Business Park will obtain $3.6 million in water and sewer infrastructure funding. The sum is part of a $45.4 million tranche of ARP money New Hanover County, which owns the site, is expected to receive from the federal government.
The rail-served ... Continue Reading
Pacon Expands into New Hanover County
In April 2019, when Governor Roy Cooper announced that New Jersey-based Pacon Manufacturing Corporation would be opening a 300-job production site in Navassa, the news was greeted as a win for the region. WBD had worked closely with officials of the medical supplies manufacturer prior to their decision to transform the town’s U.S. Marine Building on Quality Drive into a manufacturing hub for wipes, pads, towels, drapes, liquids and related products for the healthcare market.
Since ... Continue Reading
EDGEWATER VENTURES AND MCKINLEY BUILDING CORPORATION ANNOUNCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 425,000 SF CLASS A INDUSTRIAL PARK IN WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
March 31, 2021
WILMINGTON, N.C. (March 30, 2021) – Edgewater Ventures, in partnership with McKinley Building Corporation, announces the development of Wilmington Trade Center, a three-building Class A industrial development that will total 425,000 square feet upon completion. Construction is underway on Building 1, a 157,610 square foot state-of-the-art facility that will feature tilt-up concrete construction with extensive glass lines, 32’ clear height, an ESFR sprinkler system, and a 180’ deep truck court. Building 1 is slated to ... Continue Reading
Cardinal Foods to Invest $26 Million in Burgaw, Becoming One of the Largest Sweet Potato Fry Production Facilities in the World
February 17, 2021
February 17, 2021 (Wilmington, N.C.) -- Cardinal Foods LLC, a Burgaw-based food processor, announced today significant plans to expand its facility and services in Pender County. The company currently provides growers across the eastern US with solutions for fruit and vegetable processing, marketing and distribution.
Company plans call for expanded capacity to better serve blueberry, sweet potato and butternut squash growers from Florida to New Jersey, providing the largest benefit to North Carolina growers. An additional ... Continue Reading
COMMERCE ISSUES 2021 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TIER RANKINGS
December 15, 2020
22 COUNTIES WILL CHANGE TIERS NEXT YEAR
Nov 30, 2020
Raleigh, N.C.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce released the county tier designations for 2021 today. The designations, which are mandated by state law, play a role in several programs that assist in economic development.
The 2021 rankings comply with the methodology prescribed by the North Carolina General Assembly in General Statute §143B-437.08, which identifies four economic factors to be compiled and calculated by N.C. Commerce and then used ... Continue Reading
WBD Relationships Foster Regional Economic Growth
November 3, 2020
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and other headwinds, Wilmington Business Development (WBD) and its members, allies and partners achieved significant results for the region in 2019-2020. WBD directly and indirectly influenced over $100 million in new capital investment and 635 jobs for southeastern North Carolina. Those efforts included announcements by Polyhose, Pender Commerce Partners and Pacon, expansions by Coastal Beverage and South-Tek Systems, and acquisitions of the Port Logistics Center and Cape Fear Industrial Complex.
Polyhose Inc., ... Continue Reading
