Economic Development Location noun \lō-ˈkā-shən\ a position or site occupied or available for occupancy or marked by some distinguishing feature. Choose AlamaNCe Alamance County is located midway along the U.S. east coast and mid-state within North Carolina. Access noun \ˈak-ˌses also ik-ˈses\ a way or means of getting near, at, or to something. wo interstates - 85 & 40 - run concurrently through the county providing immediate access to and from all directions. wo commercial airports, both under 45-minute drives, further enhance accessibility. Proximity noun \präk-ˈsi-mə-tē\ the quality or state of being very near. Alamance County sits halfway between two large, urban metros which expands options for quality-of-life interests such as recreation, entertainment, shopping, and education, as well as business interests such as workforce recruitment, spouse employment, and supplier networks.
Welcome to Alamance County, NC Located in central North Carolina, Alamance County is situated on two interstates, midway between two metro areas, and under an hour from two commercial airports. his unique combination of location, access, and proximity are keys to moving and connecting people, goods, and services and why Alamance County is recognized as he Carolina Corridor. hese same attributes were also important in the economic history of the county as the textile industry located and grew here becoming our signature industry. his economic base shaped the character of our local communities as they developed around the mills. Over time, both the economic base and the local cities and towns within the county have changed and diversified. oday, Alamance County boasts an impressive roster of national and international companies in textiles, still, but also medical testing, automotive components, consumer goods, and industrial components. Similarily, our collection of small and medium size cities and towns offers the amenities and services required to support world class businesses and their employees. Expanding and enhancing the local communities offerings are those of the cities of the two neighboring metro areas. o the east, the esearch riangle Park region features the city-cluster of aleigh-durham-chapel Hill. o the west, the Piedmont riad region features the Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point cluster. Each metro has a commercial airport about 40 minutes from Alamance County via interstate. As both metros grow toward the center, Alamance County, siting between the airports, is primed to continue growing as a strategic business location.
I N D U S Y Labor Force Alamance County 72,806 Alamance County Labor Area 1,482,437 Unemployment ate Alamance County 8% Alamance County Labor Area 7.1% Alamance County s location between two major metro areas allows companies to attract labor from a 12-county area around Alamance. Labor area includes the following counties: Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Person, andolph, ockingham, and Wake. Major Employers Alamance- School System Laboratory Corp of America Alamance egional Medical Center Elon University Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (3 locations) Alamance County Government City of GKN Driveline North America Alamance Community College Honda Power Equipment Mfg Glen aven Inc. Kayser-oth Corp Meadwestvaco Healthcare Packaging AKG of America Inc. Kernodle Clinic Inc. Engineered Controls International General Electric Co Sports Endeavors Liggett Group LLC win Lakes Community Nypro IG AMACELL LLC Carolina Hosiery Mills, Inc. Elon Graham Graham Swepsonville Glen aven Elon 3,329 2,500 2,240 1,403 1,000 956 806 800 652 600 500 465 400 350 325 320 315 311 299 291 250 250 250 240 Figures are 2013 annual averages. Source: NC Labor & Economic Analysis, NCDOC
COPOAE COMMUNIY Innovation, profit, and growth are hallmarks of the local business community. In 1923, Industries was founded here and grew to become, at one time, the largest textile company in the world. Glen aven (engineered textiles), LabCorp (medical testing), Kingsdown (mattresses), Carolina Biological (science education materials) are other examples of local companies also nurtured here from their founding and rising to their current place as global leaders in their industry, with their global headquarters still here. hey are joined by an impressive array of other national and international firms from a diverse mix of industry sectors who have also chosen Alamance County for major operations. Beyond manufacturing, the local business community has seen growth in retail and business services that contribute to a robust small business community; and, is further anchored by institutions in healthcare and education that are also major local employers including Alamance egional Medical Center, Elon University, and Alamance Community College. ecent Industry Announcements Sheetz, a family-owned convenience store chain, is constructing a new manufacturing and distribution center in, NC to support retail locations in Virginia and North Carolina. he new, 250,000-square-foot center will represent a $32 million investment in the community and bring 253 new jobs. Sheetz, which has over 400 retail locations, began looking for a new location in 2010, initially looking at over 100 sites. Walmart Stores, Inc. will open a major perishable grocery distribution warehouse in Alamance County in 2016. he new facility will serve over 123 Walmart retail stores across North Carolina and surrounding states. he company intends to create 450 jobs and invest more than $100 million in the new center. Cambro Manufacturing Company announced plans for a new manufacturing facility to be constructed in, NC. Cambro, a manufacturer of food service and health care products including trays, table service, storage, shelving, and insulated transport products, will create 100 jobs and invest $30.4 million over the next three years. Cambro plans to purchase 28 acres in the North Carolina Industrial Center and will construct a 220,000-square-foot facility as phase one of the new project. ail access will be extended to supply raw materials for the plastic injection molding operations.
A N S P O A I O N wo interstates, 85 & 40, traverse Alamance County forming the backbone of the transportation network serving the area. he 8-lane interstate moves cargo and people through the county making it an ideal location for distribution and manufacturing. wo commercial airports, each under an hour s drive, serve the county. In addition, a local, general aviation airport, -Alamance egional Airport (BUY), features a 6400-ft runway. Instrument approaches, a full-service FBO, and hangar services provide facilities and services that can accomodate the most modern business jet aircraft, as well as general and recreational aviation needs. ail service (both freight and passenger) is also available locally. he freight service provider is Norfolk Southern. Passenger service is offered by Amtrak, as well as the NC Department of ransportation, which runs several passenger trains daily between aleigh and Charlotte. he local, passenger station for the county is in downtown. I N F A S U C U E As our local economy developed, historically, around textile manufacturing, our local communities developed significant water and wastewater infrastructure systems including large raw water supplies. oday, as the old textile industry has receded, those systems offer not only excess capacity available immediately, but also, large volumes of reserve (water) supply for the future. Similarly, the electric power infrastructure, provided by Duke Energy, while designed and installed at a different time for a different industry, serves today s industries with reliable energy from a mix of sources at a very competitive price. Natural gas is offered locally by two providers, Public Service Company and Piedmont Natural Gas, and phone and fiber infrastructure is available through a variety of service providers including A&, CenturyLink, ime Warner Cable, and Level 3 to name a few.
WOKFOCE & AINING he proximity and access of Alamance County to the neighboring metros extends the labor shed well beyond the county lines affording local employers the benefit of a large and diverse workforce. About 20% of the workforce, both locally and regionally, is employed in the manufacturing and distribution sectors. Augmenting the skills and training gained on-the-job, customized training and re-training programs and services are provided through the North Carolina Community College (NCCC) system via the local campus at Alamance Community College (ACC). Additionally, a network of local institutions (including ACC) and agencies focus on the workforce development pipeline starting from early childhood advocacy through to post-graduate degrees. he local public school system is a single, countywide system and, with around 22,000 students, is ranked the 16th largest in the state. ACC is among the largest in the 58-campus NCCC system with nearly 6,000 full time students. College graduates are available locally from Elon University, a private, four-year, co-ed, liberal arts institution with an annual enrollment of around 6,000 students. Additionally, within the commuting labor shed, there are 10 other colleges and universities in the neighboring metros combining for over 20,000 graduates annually. wo of those neighboring universities - NC State in aleigh and NC A& in Greensboro - have engineering schools.
LIVING HEE Alamance County provides a comfortable, affordable place that easily meets life s basic demands and everyday needs around housing, healthcare, sports and recreation, arts and entertainment, shopping, etc.; and, is also convenient to the nearby metros that multiply lifestylechoices and cater to special needs and interests. Indeed, one may think of this area between the airports (defined roughly as Alamance County plus everything within about 40 mile radius) as a single, dispersed city with a population of roughly 3 million people and offering a wide variety of lifestyle options and quality-of-life amenities. Beyond local and regional assets are those of greater North Carolina such as the mountains and the coast each about a 3-hour drive from Alamance County via interstate 40. Closer to home, the golf mecca of Pinehurst is but a short 90 minutes away. he local climate of four distinct, yet mild, seasons allows year-round of enjoyment of these renowned destinations and incorporation of healthy outdoor living into everyday lifestyles.
Economic Development Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce 610 S. Lexington Avenue, NC 27216 336.228.1338 www.choosealamance.com