Plastics

Plastics

N.C. Plastics Industry

• NC plastics industry employed 39,500 in 2007
• NC ranked 9th in plastics industry employment
• NC plastics shipments nearly $16 billion in 2006
• NC ranks 8th in plastics industry shipments
• More than 400 plastics companies are located in NC

Pitt County – The Right Environment for Plastics

1) Access to Markets

• Major highways include US 264, 64 and 13 with easy access to I-95 and I-40
• Three deep water ports (Wilmington, NC, Morehead City NC, and Norfolk, VA) within 120 miles
• Served by Pitt-Greenville airport with daily commuter service to Charlotte/Douglas
• Approximately 90 minutes via four-lane interstate quality highways from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
• NC Global Transpark/Eastern Regional Jetport is 30 minutes away (Foreign Trade Zone 214)
• Rail freight provided by CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern and short-line railroads
• Over 50% of the US population resides within 500 miles

2) Workforce

• At 3.2%, North Carolina has the lowest percentage of unionized workers in the U.S (2010)
• North Carolina ranks as the 6th fastest growing state in the U.S. (Census, 2000-2010)
• Worker’s compensation insurance rates consistently rank among the lowest in the nation

3) Comprehensive Training Programs

North Carolina Community College System

• Pitt Community College provides Customized Training Programs at little to no charge to qualified employers. These programs work with local industries to design and deliver training programs to meet company specifications.
• Pitt Community College offers Associate degrees in Industrial Systems Technology as well as other degree, diploma, certificate and continuing education programs in various disciplines.

East Carolina University

• East Carolina University (ECU) is the 3rd largest university in NC with enrollment over 27,000
• The ECU College of Technology and Computer Science is one of the university’s largest colleges. Degrees include Industrial Technology, Systems Engineering and Manufacturing Systems.

The Polymers Center of Excellence

The Polymers Center of Excellence is a not-for-profit organization located at the University Research Park in Charlotte, NC. The staff is backed by a network of industry lecturers, consultants and faculty members from NC institutions of higher learning. The Center was developed to support a rapidly growing number of North Carolina companies that manufacture plastics and rubber products to provides test labs, hands-on training and continuing education for these industries.

4) Lower Cost of Doing Business

• Among the most competitive utility rates in the U.S.
• State tax credits and other incentives available for qualifying businesses
• Customized local incentive packages based on job creation and investment
• Infrastructure development incentives available for qualifying projects
• No inventory tax
• Construction costs below state and national average
• NC has the lowest tax burden in the US at 3.5% of gross state product (Ernst and Young, 2009)
• Building costs lower than other major population areas of the state and nation
• Comparatively low land costs

5) An Oasis in the South

Even though drought has affected much of the South’s water supply in recent years, Pitt County has not had to implement any water restrictions and all conservation efforts have been on a voluntary basis. To ensure that our water supply continues to flow even in recurring drought conditions, local providers have implemented state-of-the-art Aquifer Storage and Recovery systems.

6) Outstanding Business Climate

• NC #1 Best Business Climate 9 out of the last 10 years (Site Selection Magazine, 2010)
• NC #2 Best State for Business (Chief Executive Magazine, 2011)
• NC #3 Best State for Business (Forbes, 2010)
• NC #4 Most Competitive State (Site Selection, 2011)
• Greenville, NC MSA #2 “Best Small Metros for Business and Careers” (Forbes, 2009)

7) The Environment to Nurture Business and Family

• Named one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People” (America’s Promise Alliance-2008)
• In 2004, Greenville was designated as North Carolina’s “Sportstown USA” community (Sports Illustrated)
• Temperate climate allows year-round outdoor recreation
• Cost of housing below state and national average
• East Carolina University offers strong intercollegiate athletic programs, particularly in football and baseball
• Pitt County is the educational, recreational, commercial, medical and cultural hub of eastern NC

Plastics Manufacturers Directory

CMI PLASTICS, INC.
222 Pepsi Way
Ayden, NC  28513
Steve Hasselbach Jr., President
252-746-2171
Plastic thermoforming
www.cmiplastics.com

WELEX, INC.
200 Industrial Blvd.
Greenville, NC  27834
Wayne Lewis, General Manager
252-317-2700
High performance plastics extrusion equipment
www.welex.com