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In Catawba County, business and
government leaders are unified by one highly important objective:
to build our excellent economic reputation and pave the way for
continued success. As we develop a plan for growth in the 21st
–century knowledge-based economy, we will continue to provide the
excellent support and services required to make your business prosper
within our county.
Click Here for Workforce
Data
Click Here for Major Employers
Click Here for Infrastructure
Data
Click Here for Incentives
for New and Expanding Businesses
Additional Links:
Click Here for Key Facts
about Catawba County
Click Here for a list of
Community Links
Workforce Data
Labor Force (2002)
Catawba County 78,514
Hickory MSA 179,930
Source: NC Employment Security
Commission
Unemployment (3rd Qtr 2003)
Catawba County 8.8%
Hickory MSA 9.2%
North Carolina 6.5%
Source: NC Employment Security
Commission
Distribution of Employment
(Catawba County) 3rd Quarter
2002
Agriculture & Forestry 0.2%
Construction & Mining 3.7%
Manufacturing 37.9%
Wholesale Trade 3.8%
Retail Trade 11.1%
Financial, Insurance, Real
Estate 2.4%
Healthcare 9.0%
Services 16.4%
Public Administration 3.4%
Transportation, Communications,
Public Utilities 5.4%
Education 4.8%
Misc. 1.9%
Source: NC Employment Security
Commission
MAJOR EMPLOYERS (APRIL 2003)
1,000+ EMPLOYEES
CommScope, Inc.
Frye Regional Medical Center
Catawba County School System
CV Industries, Inc.
Coming Cable Systems
Catawba Valley Medical Center
Merchants Distributors, Inc.
Catawba County
500-1,000 EMPLOYEES
Shurtape Technologies, Inc.
Southern Furniture Company
Pierre Foods
City of Hickory
Thomasville Furniture Industries,
Inc.
Hickory Public Schools
Ellis Hosiery Mills, Inc.
Clayton Marcus Company
McCreary Modern, Inc.
Shetrill Furniture Company
Hanes Industries, Inc.
Alcatel NA Cable Systems,
Inc.
300-499 EMPLOYEES
Vanguard Furniture, Inc
Moretz, Inc. (HQ)
Neuville Industries, Inc.
Delta Apparel (Maiden Plant)
Duke Power Company
Lenoir-Rhyne College
Westpoint Stevens, Inc.
Lee Industries
Getrag Gears
Institution Food House, Inc.
Regency Home Fashions, Inc.
Infrastructure
Regional Air Service
Charlotte International Airport
four runways - Length of
longest runway 10,000 feet
14 Carriers
Hickory Regional Airport
Two runways - Length of longest
runway 6,400 feet
Motor Freight/Trucking
Catawba County is serviced
by approximately 74 carriers.
Rail Service
Served by Norfolk Southern
and Caldwell County railroad.
Water/Port Facilities
Charleston, SC 250 miles
Wilmington, NC 298 miles
Morehead City, NC 328 miles
Highway Access
Interstate: I-40, I-77 and
I-85
U.S. Primary: Hwy 321, Hwy
70 and Hwy 64
State Primary: Hwy 10, Hwy
16 and Hwy 127
Utilities
Electricity – Duke Power
Company, Energy United and Rutherford Electric Membership Corp.
Natural Gas – Piedmont Natural Gas
Telecommunications – BellSouth and Sprint
Water & Sewer – See Municipalities
North Carolina is a Right-to-Work-State
North Carolina law permits
individual workers to choose whether or not they wish to join
a labor union. North Carolina, which has the nation’s highest
percent of manufacturing employment, has the nation’s lowest
union membership. The state’s 3.2% union membership rate is
well below the national average of 13.9%
Source: Statistical Abstract
of the United States, 2000
Incentives for New and Expanding
Businesses
Assistance to Business
North Carolina provides all
qualified companies with financial programs and advantages that
will lower your cost of doing business, thus impacting your company's
bottom line.
The Commerce Finance Center
(CFC) provides a "one-stop" financial center to which
relocating companies and
existing employers come for the articulation of the financing
alternatives available in North Carolina.
Incentives to Qualifying Businesses
William S. Lee tax credits
and subsequent acts: This legislation, enacted in 1996 and
amended in 1998, provides tax credits that may be taken against
state income, franchise, or gross premiums tax burdens. These
credits for job creation, investment, worker training, and
research and development are available in all 100 counties
and based upon a county's level of economic distress.
Industrial Revenue Bonds
Industrial Revenue Bonds
(IRBs) or Industrial Development Bonds may be used by companies
engaged in some type of manufacturing for the acquisition of
real estate, facility construction, and/or equipment purchase.
IRB's fall under three issuance types: Tax Exempt, Taxable,
and Pollution Control/Solid Waste Disposal Bonds. Regulations
governing bond issuance are a combination of federal regulations
and North Carolina statutes. Population designates the amount
each state may issue annually.
North Carolina Small Cities Community Development Block Grant
Program
These grants may be obtained
by local governments (municipal and county) to be used for projects
involving a specific business that will create new jobs. With
a participating bank, loans may be made to private businesses
to fund items such as machinery and equipment, property acquisition,
or construction. Assisted project activities must benefit persons
(60% or more) who were previously (most recent 12 months) in
a low or moderate family income status.
Business Energy Loans
These loans may be used by
business for facilities or projects that demonstrate energy
efficiency or the use of renewable energy resources resulting
in energy cost savings.
Industrial Access/Road Access Fund
Administered by the Department
of Transportation, this program provides funds for the construction
of roads to provide access to new/expanded industrial facilities.
The Rail Industrial Access
Fund Program
This program provides grant
funding to aid in financing the cost of constructing or rehabilitating
railroad access tracks required by a new or expanded industry,
which will result in a significant number of new jobs or capital
investment.
Industrial Training
North Carolina's Community
College System provides approved training for new employees
at no cost to the participant company. This is widely considered
the top incentive offered by North Carolina and is a model
program nationally. Funding is provided from a statewide pool
and does not come from the regular operating budget at Catawba
Valley Community College.
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