10 minute read
ECONOMY
Henderson County is home to about 140 manufacturing facilities.
The Perfect Climate For Growing Businesses
With its diverse economic sectors, strong workforce and entrepreneurial spirit, Henderson County is not only a place where retirees enjoy the fruits of their labor but also where new businesses take root and well established industries thrive.
As with many rural areas, the education and healthcare sectors are top employers. Independent stores in bustling downtown Hendersonville and throughout the county make the retail sector robust. Retiree wealth helps bring strength to the financial and professional services sector and agriculture, manufacturing and tourism remain cornerstones of Henderson County’s economy.
AGRICULTURE
Since William Mills planted his first apple tree in the Fruitland area of Henderson County at the end of the 18th century, agriculture has been a staple of Henderson County’s economy. Apples are still king here with the county being ranked first in apple production in all of North Carolina, growing up to 80% of the state’s entire apple crop on more than 150 orchards in Henderson County. Having that many apples to manage also has spawned other related ventures such as packing houses, traditional and hard cider producers and many roadside stands. For a directory of local apple outlets, orchard trail guides and information about tours, visit NCApples.com. But apples are not the only things growing in Henderson County. Berry production is increasing in the county and the area is becoming known for grape production for wine. In addition, local farms produce a wide variety of field crops and nursery and sod crops, as well as beef cattle and other livestock. In recent years, “agri-tourism” has added to this sector’s bottom line. Farmers markets, “u-pick” operations, hayrides, farm tours and tasting rooms can all be found in Henderson County. With the popularity of locally grown foods, agri-tourism and craft beverages, agriculture here has become even more significant. Today, 557 farms with nearly 38,000 acres operate within the county. Agribusiness in Henderson County employs more than 8,150 people and brings in annual receipts of $400 million. To help ensure that agriculture remains a growing sector in the local economy, Agribusiness Henderson County assists new and existing
The craft beverage industry has added jobs, revenue and energy to the local economy.
Kimberly-Clark's well known family care and personal care brands hold the #1 or #2 share position in 80 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people’s most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what’s important to them. In Henderson County, the Berkeley Mill is an ISO Certified work location with approximately 257 people. It contains 7 Nonwoven Base Machines and operates on a 24/7 production schedule. The site ships products to other Kimberly-Clark plants to convert and export other materials to other countries.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT KIMBERLY-CLARK? Interested Applicants are Encouraged to Visit CareersAtKC.com.
We Proudly Support Our Community and the Growth of Henderson County!
producers in their agricultural pursuits. This public and privately funded nonprofit also operates the Southern Mountain Fresh Program, which brings the public and locally grown food together. At SouthernMountainFresh.com, people can find out what’s in season in Henderson County and where to buy it. The website also publicizes area agriculture events and is a resource for agri-tourism opportunities.
CRAFT BEVERAGES
The county’s first craft brewer opened its operation downtown off Seventh Avenue in 2011. The next year, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company announced Mills River as the site of their East Coast operation and began brewing and distributing in 2014. During the same period, several commercial vineyards opened wineries in the county, and small hard cider producers followed shortly thereafter. In 2015, Bold Rock Hard Cider chose Henderson County for the site of its third facility, its first outside Virginia. Using apples grown in Henderson County as the foundation for its ciders, Bold Rock crafts a range of ciders including seasonal varieties at its facility in Mills River. The craft beverage sector has added jobs, revenue and energy to the local economy. Sierra Nevada alone invested more than $107.5 million in Henderson County within its first five years of operation. Blue Ridge Community College offers craft brewing and winemaking courses to ensure a skilled workforce for this thriving local industry. And thanks to tasting rooms, special events and tours, visitors have even more reason to visit Henderson County. Learn more about local breweries, wineries, cideries, and places that make mead at VisitHendersonvilleNC.org/ Cheers-Trail and through the Ale Trail on page 50 and at AshevilleAleTrail.com.
MANUFACTURING
Henderson County is home to a strategic manufacturing cluster that creates products vital to the automotive, outdoor recreation, food and beverage, metalworking and plastics sectors. Today, about 140 manufacturers operate facilities in Henderson County. They employ more than 5,300 people in the county’s workforce with average wages in excess of $53,000 a year. Longtime local manufacturers include Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Berkeley Mills which has roots in Henderson County going back to the 1920s when Kimberly-Clark was first established as a paper and newsprint company. Kimberly-Clark is now a billion-dollar company with global family care and personal care brands that include Huggies®, Kleenex®, Scott®, Cottonelle® and Kotex®. Manufacturing thrives in the county thanks to a strong focus on resources that support success. These assets include transportation access, infrastructure and workforce advantages. Being situated at the crossroads of I-26 and I-40 makes it easy to move raw materials and finished goods. Air transport and commercial air services provided by the Asheville Regional Airport and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport ensure people and products move efficiently around the world.
SUMMER CAMPS
Generations of summer campers have flocked to Henderson County for decades, making the residential summer camp industry here a sizable contributor to the tourism economy. Henderson County is part of a four-county region including Buncombe, Jackson and Transylvania Counties, known as the “Camping Capital of the USA,” thanks to the area’s more than 50 summer camps. More than a dozen of those camps are in Henderson County and several of those have been in continuous operation since the 1920s. According to a 2011 study by NC State University, Henderson County’s residential summer camps have a direct economic impact on the county of $77 million and a total economic impact of $120 million. These camps create more than 3,400 full-time equivalent jobs. And families dropping off and picking up campers spend an average of more than $2,200 during their stays in Henderson County. For more about area camps, visit the North Carolina Youth Camp Association at NCCamps.org.
TOURISM
As Henderson County attracts more visitors at all times of the year, tourism’s economic impact here continues to boom. Henderson County is ranked 14th among the state’s 100 counties in travel impact to the local economy. In 2019, visitor spending in Henderson County reached more than $324.77 million. Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Henderson County was $61.75 million with 2,530 employed in tourism related jobs.
Manufacturers employ more than 5,300 people in the county’s workforce.
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The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is located on the corner of Church Street and Kanuga Road.
Business Resources
Whether you are starting a new business or growing an existing one, Henderson County has plenty of resources that can help.
HENDERSON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
204 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville 828-692-1413 HendersonCountyChamber.org
Serving Henderson County since 1911, the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce welcomes all types and sizes of businesses from sole proprietorships to major industry. Its activities, supported by membership dues, influence all segments of community development, education, transportation, relocation, retirement, agriculture, small business and industrial recruitment. The Chamber advocates for business through public policy and new business recruitment and by providing member businesses with opportunities to network, learn and succeed.
330 N King Street, Hendersonville 828-692-6373 HCPED.org
The Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development (HCPED) is a public/private partnership that focuses on economic stewardship in Henderson County. The mission of the Partnership is to create and retain quality jobs and increase industrial capital investments that will improve the quality of life for Henderson County residents. HCPED serves as an advocate and resource partner to local businesses and has a legacy of meeting industry needs and making community connections to create a thriving, business friendly community. Through the Made in Henderson County (MIHC) initiative, the Partnership works closely with industry and the local school system and community college to create a workforce pipeline by raising the visibility of manufacturing careers. The flagship program, available to all Henderson County working adults, is the Made in Henderson County Apprenticeship. Learn more at MadeinHendersonCounty.com. The Partnership also develops a robust marketing calendar to recruit like minded companies to the area. In 2020, its Target Market Analysis unveiled that manufacturing companies focusing on the following are ideal industries in Henderson County: health care, food and beverage, machinery and materials, professional and technical services, outdoor recreational goods, and transportation components. To successfully market the county, collaborations include working with the regional economic development marketing organization Carolina West, the Economic Development Partnership of NC and NC Department of Commerce. Henderson County is a profitable and attractive community that is also an exceptional part of the country for businesses wishing to relocate or expand. The Partnership works closely with local government, community organizations, local educators and utility/infrastructure partners to accomplish its mission. HCPED fosters relationships between all parties involved in helping the local workforce and economy thrive.
MOUNTAIN BIZWORKS
828-253-2834 MountainBizworks.org
Mountain BizWorks is a US Treasurycertified non-profit community development financial institution
that provides learning opportunities, one-on-one coaching and financing to emerging and established small businesses in Western North Carolina. Its instructional courses are led by experienced small business owners and provide tailored support to entrepreneurs on their journeys from startup to scaleup. The organization also focuses on creating access to capital for historically under-resourced communities including individuals with low incomes, people of color and women entrepreneurs. Mountain BizWorks primarily serves the 26 westernmost counties of North Carolina – including Henderson County – with offices in Asheville and Boone.
SCORE WESTERN NCHENDERSONVILLE OFFICE
By appointment only at Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, 204 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville 828-693-8702 WesternNC.SCORE.org
SCORE has been mentoring new and existing businesses nationwide for more than 40 years and has a network of more than 13,000 volunteers who donate their time to help entrepreneurs. As experienced business professionals, SCORE mentors deliver valuable, timely and practical advice free and confidentially. SCORE Western North Carolina serves eight counties in southwest North Carolina, including Henderson County. Oneon-one and team counseling sessions are by appointment. Face-to-face and online resources are available for people about to start or expand a business.
Henderson County Campus, 180 W Campus Drive, Flat Rock 828-694-1658 BlueRidge.edu/Programs-Courses/ Business/Small-Business-Center
The Small Business Center at Blue Ridge Community College is part of the Small Business Center Network which is composed of Small Business Centers throughout North Carolina that support the development of new businesses and the growth of existing businesses by being community-based providers of training, counseling and resource information. It serves to help realize dreams of owning a business or making a current business more profitable. The Small Business Center can connect individuals with free local, regional, state and national resources to aid in business planning. Services provided also can be customized to suit specific business needs.
