News and Announcements

ARP Funds to Support Water and Wastewater Service at Blue Clay Business Park
July 19, 2021
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

Pender Commerce Partners to Continue Investment in Greater Wilmington
October 26, 2020
Winston-Salem-based Pender Commerce Partners 1 LLC is now in the process of acquiring additional land at Pender Commerce Park in order to develop its second speculative industrial building there in two years. Fresh off the completion of its 127,356 sq.-ft. spec facility at Lot 2 in the park, the company, which consists of Ramm Capital Partners LLC and Taylor Development Group LLC, is now in the due diligence period for 20 acres on Lot 6 ... Continue Reading

ATMC Awarded USDA ReConnect Grant to Bring High Speed Internet to Pender County
September 14, 2020
ATMC announced in September that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the cooperative a $21.6 million dollar grant to help fund its ‘Faster Pender’ project which will allow the Shallotte-based company to expand high-speed internet access to over 7,000 addresses in rural Pender County. Gigabit broadband internet access will be made available to 6,853 residential addresses, over 285 businesses, 19 educational facilities, nine healthcare facilities, 15 critical community facilities, and 209 agricultural operations. ATMC ... Continue Reading

WBD Welcomes New Board Members, Officers
July 7, 2020
History was made on June 26th when WBD’s board of directors met to choose its leaders for 2020-2021. Sabrina Sells, a Wilmington banker and longtime economic development advocate, was elected the organization’s first-ever female chair. Fred Samz, third party services manager of Celanese is now vice chair, Tim Milam, head of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage is treasurer and WBD CEO Scott Satterfield will serve as secretary.
“The organization could not be in better hands,” said ... Continue Reading

NCDOT completes bridges at New Hanover-Pender border
June 5, 2020
By Allison Ballard, StarNews
June 4, 2020
WILMINGTON – The N.C. Department of Transportation announced Thursday that construction of two two-lane bridges on U.S. 421 near the New Hanover-Pender county line is complete.
The highway, which is one of the area’s main thoroughfares, fully reopened to traffic Wednesday afternoon, according to a release from the department.
The area washed out during Hurricane Florence in 2018. Crews built a temporary bridge over Fishing Creek after the storm and started construction ... Continue Reading