Charlotte USA Economic Development Guide 2013-14

Charlotte charlotteusa.com

USA

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ‘Silicon Valley of Energy’ is taking shape in Charlotte USA Region lands a starring role in film and television productions

Precision Industry

Region offers advanced manufacturing advantage Sponsored by the Charlotte Regional Partnership | 2013-14

Contents

Charlotte USA

18 aerospace & defense

Flight Assisted

Charlotte USA’s advanced manufacturing capabilities have helped fashion a thriving aerospace and defense sector that employ nearly 20,000 workers in the region.

Economic Development

2013-14 Edition | Volume 4

23 life sciences & Health

Powerful Medicine State-of-the-art research facilities and a highly skilled workforce write the prescription for innovation in Charlotte USA’s life science and biotechnology sector.

26

31 energy

financial services

High Voltage Growth

The region’s financial services know-how has made it a prime location for sophisticated operations centers and customer service facilities.

The future of energy is being written in Charlotte USA, an energy technology hub that includes more than 260 energy-related companies that employ nearly 28,000 workers, including many of the region’s 11,000 engineers.

Paying Dividends

charlotteusa.com

3

Contents

on the cover General Microcircuits in Mooresville, N.C., manufactures circuit board assemblies for energy generation, transmission, measurement and consumption. Photo by Jeff Adkins

40

36

58

9 Overview

11 live and work

52

57 Economic Profile

36

44

Lead Lap in Innovation

The Byte Stuff

motorsports

Technological advances and strong NASCAR connections drive the region’s motorsports industry.

40

film & Television

Marquee Attraction Charlotte USA lands a starring role in film and television productions.

technology

Charlotte USA becomes a power in data center development, with top tech companies setting up shop.

49

education

Rooted in STEM Regional investment in STEM education helps students score top jobs and ensures a skilled workforce.

52 transportation

Driven From Within Charlotte USA invests in a fully integrated transportation network.

58

livability

Schedule a Play Date The region offers a bevy of spectator sports and outdoor activities.

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste. Please recycle this magazine

charlotteusa.com

5

Online

E

CHARLOTT

charl otteu sa.co

m

VELOPMENT

USA

ECONOMIC DE

y of ‘Silicon Valle shape g Energy’ is takin in Charlotte USA a Region lands in film and starring role uctions television prod

What’s on businessclimate.com/charlotte Energy

Learn why Charlotte USA is the New Energy Capital and why 260 companies directly tied to energy are doing business in the region.

International Business Find out why Charlotte USA was a destination of choice for more than 950 foreign-owned companies.

Livability From downtown residential to wide open spaces, Charlotte USA offers a variety of living options.

Precision Industry Region offers

advanced ma

SPON SORE

LOTTE D BY THE CHAR

nufacturing

advantage

ERSH REGIO NAL PARTN

IP | 2013-14

You Can Take it with you Enjoy

Twitter

Demographics

Top Industries

Keep updated and informed on the latest real-time news, developments and information.

Drill down on the numbers behind the region’s powerhouse economy with a full set of statistics and data.

Learn more about the key industry sectors and top companies that make Charlotte USA work.

Read the digital edition on your tablet and phone. Click on links within articles for even more information.

Share Share the magazine on social media with your friends and community.

Photo Gallery & Videos See unique faces, spaces and places presented in a whole new way courtesy of our team of award-winning photographers.

Links Feature the magazine on your blog, website or newsletters with a link or one of our easy-to-use tools.

Businessclimate. com/charlotte

charlotteusa.com

7

Overview

Charlotte USA Builds On Its Strengths

Region’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, skilled workforce drive growth across a range of industries

M

anufacturing is “cool” again, and it doesn’t get any cooler than in Charlotte USA. While many communities around the U.S. have just begun to recognize the critical role that advanced manufacturing plays in our economy, we’ve already built our base and are attracting new and growing industries. In this Economic Development Guide, you’ll learn about some of these companies in energy, aerospace, biotech and motorsports.

Recently, the Manufacturing Solutions Center, a division of Catawba Valley Community College, tripled its size. The 10 community colleges in our 16-county region work closely with industry to provide the skills their workforce needs. And Apprenticeship 2000, based on the European model of training uniquely skilled employees, is developing a deep talent pool.

These training tools have been instrumental in helping existing industries expand and attracting new companies to our region.

Across industries, advanced manufacturing emphasizes not just technical skills, but critical thinking, communication, teamwork and innovation. Our workforce is increasingly better educated, better trained and more productive to make our region more competitive. It’s an advantage that we encourage and nurture in Charlotte USA.

Of course, our workforce isn’t our only asset. We have geographic diversity, the lowest unionization rate in the country, a pro-business climate, and an interconnected air/rail/road transportation network that is anchored by Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the world’s largest airline’s second-largest hub.

These attractions also draw headquarters and back office

operations, logistics centers, and a vibrant, burgeoning film industry.

We also have a culture of collaboration. By working together, public and private, large companies and small, our industries – and our region – prosper.

Ronnie Bryant, CEcD, FM, HLM, President & CEO Charlotte Regional Partnership charlotteusa.com Charlotte

21

16

Taylorsville

IREDELL

ALEXANDER

64

Statesville

40

Hickory Conover Newton

ROWAN

CATAWBA 18

LINCOLN

Mooresville

77 321

Denver

Cornelius Huntersville

Cherryville

GASTON

Shelby

29

Gastonia

Belmont

Clover

24

51

Norwood 218

74 601

ANSON Pageland

9

321

Wadesboro

Monroe

72 9 72

Ansonville

Weddington

UNION

CHESTER Chester

24

STANLY

Mint Hill

Rock Hill

YORK

Albemarle

Matthews

485

Fort Mill 5

52

49

Charlotte

MECKLENBURG

York

Richfield

Concord

CABARRUS

16

85

Kings Mountain

Smyrna

Kannapolis

Davidson

Lincolnton

CLEVELAND

Salisbury

L. Norman

16

77

Richburg Lancaster Fort Lawn 9

601

LANCASTER

521

Great Falls

9

Chesterfield

151

Cheraw

CHESTERFIELD

903

Heath Springs

52 1

Kershaw McBee Bethune

charlotteusa.com

9

Carolinas Centre Industrial Park

52,284 sq. ft. spec building √ LEED pre-certified

√ 162 acres

√ Expandable to 102,284 sq. ft.

√ Shovel ready

√ 24 ft. ceiling height

√ Publicly owned

In the Heart of North & South Carolina

√ Abundant water and sewer capacity

Contact: Brenda Workman, CEcD – Executive Director • (843) 921-7648 cell • bworkman@shtc.net

Chesterfield County Economic Development Alliance 105 Green St. • P.O. Box 192 • Chesterfield, SC 29709 • (843) 623-6500 www.chesterfieldcountysc.org

Live and Work in Charlotte USA

Freightliner trucks are manufactured in the region.

foreign investment

With more than 950 foreign-owned companies in the region, Charlotte USA is a destination of choice for international business. Several assets promote international business investment, including Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which offers 700 daily flights, a number of them direct international flights. The region has the highest concentration in the Carolinas of foreign firms owned by German, British and Japanese parent companies.

Germany-based Daimler Trucks North America employs 6,400 workers at the Cleveland Truck

Plant in Rowan County, N.C., and at Mt. Holly Truck Manufacturing Plant and Gastonia Components and Logistics in Gaston County, N.C. The Cleveland Truck Plant is the largest Freightliner truck manufacturing plant in the U.S.

Lincoln County, N.C., was chosen in May 2013 by Brazil-based diesel engine manufacturer Borghetti Turbos as the site for its North American headquarters. The company will invest approximately $7 million dollars and create up to 127 jobs over the next three years.

In Iredell County, N.C., automotive parts manufacturer ASMO North Carolina, a unit of Japan-based DENSO, operates a plant in Statesville. The company announced a $100 million expansion in December 2012 that will create up to 100 jobs.

In Chesterfield County, S.C., auto and industrial component supplier Schaeffler Group USA has expanded its two plants there, adding 190 jobs. The Germanybased company has operated in Cheraw for 40 years and also has another facility in York County, S.C.

charlotteusa.com

11

the Business Climate Is Heating Up charlotte usa BusinessClimate.com brings you Charlotte USA in a whole new way WA MT

ND

OR ID

WY

NV

ME MN

SD

WI IA

NE UT

CA AZ

CO

IL KS

NM

OK TX

IN

PA OH WV

MO

VA

KY

NC

TN

AR LA

NY

MI

SC MS

AL

GA

AK FL

Facts & Stats

Livability

Cool Companies

Top Industries

Top Employers

Twitter

Dive into the details, demographics and information

Learn how leading-edge businesses are breaking new ground

Find out who the major players are

What makes the state a great place to live, raise a family and have fun

Key industry segments that drive the economy

Stay connected with the latest developments

Trends

Pinpointing the deals and developments that shape the economy

businessclimate.com/charlotte

things to do

sustainability

Situated on the Pee Dee River, the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge stretches into two counties, including Anson County, N.C., and can include up to 10,000 waterfowl in the winter season. The diversity of habitat and management provides for more than 168 bird species, 49 reptiles and amphibians, 28 mammals, and 20 fish species.

Charlotte USA’s burgeoning energy sector is breeding innovation on a number of fronts, including sustainability.

A prime example is the EcoComplex in Catawba County, N.C., a hub of green enterprise and research.

The 800-acre site in Newton includes a biodiesel research facility, a landfill that takes in about 425 tons of waste daily and a generating facility that burns the methane produced naturally in the landfill to produce electricity, which is sold to utilities.

The EcoComplex also hosts a lumber company and a pallet company. The pallet company uses the lumber company’s waste products to produce up to 10 flatbed loads of refurbished product each day.

The U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte features the world’s largest man-made whitewater river, and the outdoor center has attractions like bike trails, a rock wall and ziplines.

In Iredell County, Lake Norman State Park includes the largest man-made lake in North Carolina. When at capacity, its surface area is 32,510 acres with a shoreline of 520 miles and a main channel 34 miles in length, giving it the nickname of the “Inland Sea.” Rocky Face Mountain, in the northern part of Alexander County, N.C., is considered to be the Brushy Mountains’ southern edge.

The Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area includes four miles of hiking trails leading to the mountain summit.

In Chester County, S.C., Landsford Canal State Park includes remnants of 1820s canal culverts, stone bridges, locks and a historic mill site, and a lock-keeper’s house with exhibits. The rocky shoals along the Catawba River in the 250-acre park are home to one of the world’s largest populations of rocky shoals spider lilies.

made here

The Charlotte USA economy has a serious appetite for the food and beverage industry. The region’s 225 food processing companies employ more than 15,000 workers, and the segment is growing.

A new business is brewing in Cleveland County, N.C., where Stout Brewing Co. plans to open a brewery in Kings Mountain. Stout is among the latest in a growing craft brewing industry in North Carolina and is Cleveland County’s first brewery.

Based in Charlotte, Snyder’s-Lance makes pretzels, crackers, potato chips, cookies and tortilla chips. It announced a $75 million investment in March 2013 for its Charlotte plant, where it employs 750 workers.

In Lancaster County, S.C., Fancy Pokket Corp. has broken ground on a $13 million, gluten-free bakery that will be the largest of its kind in North America.

In Lincoln County, N.C., organic snack food manufacturer RW Garcia added 30,000 square feet of warehouse space to its 60,000-square-foot manufacturing operation. The company opened there in 2004.

PreGel America in Cabarrus County, N.C., is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of ingredients for desserts such as gelato, sorbetto and frozen yogurt.

The Italian company has North American headquarters in Concord. charlotteusa.com

13

business climate

WAY TO GROW Charlotte USA drafts the blueprint for investment, expansion and job creation

C

harlotte USA’s culture of innovation can be felt within its communities.

The dynamic region is home to growing entrepreneurial ventures as well as major corporate headquarters, including eight Fortune 500 companies. The 16-county region’s diverse, $117 billion economy is built on industry sectors that include aerospace and defense, financial services, energy, life sciences, motorsports, and film and television production.

More than 950 foreign-owned companies have taken advantage of the region’s strong infrastructure and host of resources to put operations in the region.

Canada-based Solaris Industries, manufacturer of steel tubing, located its first U.S. operation in Shelby, N.C. Brazil-based Providencia USA, which manufactures nonwoven fabric used in disposable personal care products, has expanded its Statesville, N.C., operation. And Wuxi Taiji Paper Industry Co. Ltd., a Chinese textile supplier, has chosen to locate its first U.S. manufacturing operation in Catawba charlotteusa.com

15

Global Accent

950

County. More than 950 foreignowned companies have taken advantage of the region’s strong infrastructure and host of resources to put operations in the region.

160+

A Charlotte USA Address

Foreign-owned companies with Charlotte USA operations

Languages spoken in the region

45+

Business and cultural organizations that support the region’s international community

10

Honorary consuls in Charlotte USA, representing Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Nicaragua and Switzerland

$117.8 billion

$113.9 billion

$109.3 billion

$111.5 billion

$107.8 billion

Charlotte MSA GDP

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

BUSINESS

CLIMATE

WAY TO GROW CHARLOTTE BLUEPRINT USA DRAFTS THE EXPANSION FOR INVESTMENT, AND JOB CREA TION

C

harlotte USA’s culture of innovation can be felt within its communit host of resources The dynamic ies. to put operations region Canada-ba in the region. growing entrepren is home to sed steel tubing, Solaris Industries, manufactu as well as major eurial ventures located its first U.S. operation rer of N.C. Brazil-bas corporate ed Providenc Fortune 500 headquarters, including manufactu ia USA, which in Shelby, companies. eight res diverse, $117 The personal care nonwoven fabric used billion economy 16-county region’s in disposable products, has sectors that is built on N.C., operation. expanded its include industry Statesville financial services, aerospace and Ltd., a Chinese And Wuxi Taiji Paper , defense, Industry Co. energy, life textile supplier, motorspor its first U.S. sciences, ts, and film has chosen manufactu and to locate More than ring operation County. More 950 foreign-ow television production in Catawba than 950 foreign-ow . advantage have taken of the region’s ned companies have ned companies taken infrastruc advantage of the strong infrastruc region’s strong ture and host ture and of operations in the region. resources to put

BUSINE

Digital Magazine

SSCLIM

ATE.COM

/CHARL

OTTE

charlotte usa

Strong Connections A network of 37 colleges and universities with more than 50 campus locations keeps the region stocked with knowledgeable workers, provides resources for training and development, and conducts leading-edge research that touch every facet of business.

Charlotte USA’s sophisticated and integrated transportation system of interstates and highways, rail lines and international airport provides ready access to major markets and connections to key coastal port facilities. Charlotte Douglas International Airport offers more than 700 daily flights, including nonstop service to key international business destinations, including Frankfurt, London, Montreal, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Rome . In 2012, the airport was the sixth-busiest in the U.S. A strong emphasis on regional collaboration and unified efforts at the local and state levels to create a climate that helps business have made Charlotte USA a location of choice for business investment and expansion.

Story by Stephanie Vozza

15

Read it online or on your tablet and quickly share articles with friends.

16

And that headquarters roster is growing. Shoe industry innovator Rack Room Shoes is relocating its subsidiary brand Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse to its Charlotte headquarters.

The move marks an investment of $16 million and the addition of 87 new jobs.

“We researched many options,” says Brenda Christmon, corporate marketing manager for Rack Room Shoes.

“We determined our company has great history in North Carolina, particularly in the Charlotte area. Our associates have deep roots in the community, and Charlotte is a beautiful, energetic city, which makes it a wonderful choice from a recruitment standpoint.

Both the city and state governments have been very supportive of our efforts to continue to grow our presence in the area,” Christmon says.

Recognizing the potential for growth in the region, AREVA, the largest technical resource for the nation’s nuclear energy sector, announced that it’s moving its corporate headquarters from Bethesda, Md., to Charlotte. It will expand its current facility – which is one of the largest engineering firms in the city – and add 130 jobs over the next four years.

AREVA projects that its relocation will accelerate

the growth of its Charlotte operation from more than $10 million in annual revenue projected for 2013 to more than $48 million in five years.

AREVA executives noted the quality of life, extensive business infrastructure, investments in workforce development and commitment to forming partnerships with industry as major advantages.

Find more about business in Charlotte at businessclimate.com/charlotte.

Charlotte USA By the Numbers

Fortune 500 Headquarters in Charlotte USA

Fortune 500 Ranking

Bank of America

21

$100.1 billion

Lowe’s Cos.

56

$50.5 billion

Duke Energy

145

$19.6 billion

Nucor

146

$19.4 billion

15

Family Dollar Stores

287

$9.3 billion

Fortune 1000 companies based in Charlotte USA

Sonic Automotive

307

$8.5 billion

1

SPX

431

$5.9 billion

Rank of Charlotte among 42 metros of more than 1 million people for largest population increase, 2000 to 2010

Domtar

458

$5.5 billion

16 Counties in the region – 12 in North Carolina, four in South Carolina

$117B Gross Domestic Product of Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA in 2011

Revenue

Flight Assisted Charlotte USA is home to a number of high-flying companies in aerospace and defense

I

t is not a region that produces a finished aircraft, but Charlotte USA is critical to getting airplanes out of the factory and on to the runway. The region’s more than 130 aerospace-related companies provide components from nose to tail , from avionics to jet engine systems to airplane seats to tires – even the nameplates that label different parts of the aircraft. With its major advantages in advanced manufacturing and materials, the region is fertile territory for companies that count aerospace giants including Boeing, Airbus and Embraer as customers.

They also provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services, and employ nearly 20,000 workers.

The depth of Charlotte USA’s aerospace expertise is demonstrated in the collection of well-known industry names that have a presence in the region.

Curtiss-Wright has three business units with operations in the region, including the Charlottebased Motion Controls segment and its Controls Flight Systems, which has locations in Gaston County and Cleveland County, N.C. In Stanly County, N.C., Michelin manufactures and retreads aircraft tires in a facility that it purchased from BF Goodrich in 1989 and has since expanded and modernized it. The facility in Norwood also makes products that other Michelin factories use to

18

charlotte usa

manufacture high-performance automobile tires.

The factory, which employs about 500 workers, is one of just three Michelin aircraft tire facilities in the world. It supplies new tires for U.S. and foreign military and commercial aircraft around the world and performs retreading for commercial aircraft in North America and South America.

Being in Charlotte USA has definite advantages, including a skilled and dedicated workforce, plant manager Preston Gray says.

“We have the ability to recruit, retain and develop them to be excellent employees. We find there to be richness in Stanly County that we continue to benefit from,” Gray says.

Job Creation Reaches New Heights And the region attracts aerospace-related investment on a number of fronts. Keller USA, a supplier of industrial air filtration equipment for several industries including aerospace, has moved its North American headquarters to York County, S.C. The company also is putting a production facility there in part to be more strategically located near its customer base.

Boeing supplier Cyril Bath is investing $2.5 million in building improvements and equipment at its Monroe facility in Union County, N.C., which

AEROSPACE and defense

Cyril Bath is investing $2.5 million in its facility in Monroe, N.C., which manufactures machines used to form aircraft skins.

charlotteusa.com

19

The Sum of Its Parts Charlotte USA has more than 130 companies involved in aerospace, with many using advanced manufacturing technology. Here’s a sample of some of the region’s major aerospace players.

ATI Allvac: Makes titanium and nickel-based superalloys in Monroe, N.C., for jet engines and airframes Curtiss-Wright Controls: Creates electronic and mechanical subsystems and components; its operations in the region include the Charlotte-based Motion Controls Segment and its Controls Flight Systems in Gaston County and Cleveland County, N.C. Cyril Bath: Designs and manufactures machinery used to form aircraft skins in Monroe GM Nameplate: Creates interior and exterior nameplates in Monroe for Boeing 787 Dreamliners and other aircraft

20

charlotte usa

Keller USA: Makes industrial air filtration equipment in Fort Mill, S.C., used by aircraft makers and other manufacturers Michelin: Makes and retreads aircraft tires in Stanly County, N.C. Midway Aircraft Instrument Corp.: Repairs and overhauls aircraft instruments and accessories in Monroe Newgard Industries Inc.: Makes aircraft seats in Monroe Oro Manufacturing Co.: Makes utility aircraft seats and cargo tie-down parts in Monroe for airplanes and helicopters Turbocoating: Develops special processes and manufactures protective coatings in Catawba County, N.C., for components used in aircraft engines and industrial gas turbines UTC Aerospace Systems: The Charlotte-based subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

manufactures systems and components for commercial, business and military aircraft, and helicopters. Its Monroe customer service facility makes new and replacement aircraft parts.

Caledonian Alloys: Located in Charlotte, it recycles high-value aerospace metals from manufacturers, including ATI Allvac IMET Alloys: Supplies and processes superalloy and titanium alloy scrap in Monroe to and for the superalloy and titanium melting industries Keywell: Processes stainless steel, high temperature alloys and titanium scrap metal in Monroe Safran Turbomeca Manufacturing: Makes helicopter engine parts in Monroe Winbro Group Technologies: Designs and manufactures advanced machines in Rock Hill, S.C., used in a variety of industries

opened in 1979. The company, which serves several industries including aerospace, manufactures machinery used to form aircraft skins.

ATI Allvac, which has had a presence in Monroe for 50 years, has invested $215 million to expand facilities that make critical titanium- and nickelbased superalloys for jet engines and airframes.

The company is also creating 125 jobs.

“Our manufacturing capabilities are enabling the next generation of more efficient jet engines. New alloys have been invented to make that possible.

Allvac is the one that invented them, in Monroe.

In some cases, the knowledge and technology exist only here,” Vice President Dan Greenfield says.

Jet engine manufacturers including Pratt & Whitney, Safran, Rolls-Royce and GE Aviation depend on ATI Allvac for mission-critical components.

“When you get inside an airframe or inside a jet engine, there’s no room for error,” Greenfield says.

“Ninety-nine percent quality isn’t good enough. It has to be 100 percent.”

Giving Lift to Aerospace Training The region’s network of community colleges provides specialized programs and customized training to serve the aerospace industry. Stanly Community College, for example, works with Michelin to design a technical training program that keeps workers’ skills updated.

Central Piedmont Community College offers a highly regarded mechatronics programs that combines mechanical, electrical and computer

disciplines and allows graduates to work on the complex systems found in sophisticated manufacturing environments such as aerospace.

The Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing Training Center at South Piedmont Community College includes more than $1 million in equipment for training in mechatronics, industrial maintenance, robotics, programmable logic controllers and avionics. The 4,000-square-foot center is a major resource for aerospace companies with operations in Monroe.

Among the companies that have invested in Monroe is GM Nameplate, a Washington state company that provides user-interface devices, front panel integration, labels, nameplates, safety decals, plastic molding and decorating for several industry sectors including aerospace.

The company’s Monroe operations provide interior and exterior nameplates for Boeing 787 Dreamliners assembled in Charleston, S.C. GM Nameplate invested about $2 million and added some 25 employees to support the Boeing contract, says Carlo Mears, vice president of aerospace.

The company’s Puget Sound operations have been a Boeing supplier since 1954, but until now the Monroe facility provided support for automotive and appliance manufacturers and the testing and measurement industry.

“Aerospace is our smallest operation in Monroe, but it will definitely grow,” Mears says. “North Carolina has been wise to target aerospace.”

Story by Bill Lewis Photography by Jeff Adkins

Advanced Manufacturing

Material Asset Polymers Center supports advanced manufacturing sector Charlotte USA has a strategic asset when it comes to the recruitment and expansion of advanced manufacturing companies – the Polymers Center of Excellence, a not-for-profit organization that assists the plastics industry, providing workforce training, materials analysis and product development services for industries ranging from aerospace to materials handling to medical devices and motorsports.

The center supports an economically vital industry. Plastics account for about $13 billion in export activity each year, PCE Executive

Director Dennis Hayford says.

PCE holds classes at its location in University Research Park in Charlotte, at local community colleges and at places of business. The center works with UNC Charlotte, North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Industrial Extension Service.

The center wins praise from clients in private industry like Microban International Ltd., which is headquartered in Charlotte USA and has offices in eight locations on four continents. The company’s anti-microbial technologies are built into products produced by more than

250 leading manufacturers.

“PCE has been a benchmark, gold-standard partner for Microban International. We have expanded the breadth and depth of our product range four-fold over the last several years, and they have been there with us every step of the way,” says Thomas Kotterer, Microban’s vice president for global operations.

“Their expertise, unique problem solving ability, high standard of quality and safety, and hyper-focus on customer satisfaction are a model for us all,” Kotterer says.

– Bill Lewis charlotteusa.com

21

health

Powerful Medicine C

Charlotte USA writes the prescription for research and discovery in health and life sciences

harlotte USA synthesizes top-level research facilities, highly regarded health-care organizations, a nucleus of talent across a range of disciplines, and superior capabilities in advanced manufacturing and materials to form a potent health and life sciences sector that now employs more than 100,000 people. The region’s health and life sciences companies develop breakthrough advances and products in a synergistic process that attracts more companies and builds on current relationships.

A prime example of the area’s life sciences appeal is Medical Murray, which opened a new design and development facility in Charlotte in spring 2013.

The Illinois-based medical device developer and manufacturer came to Charlotte to strengthen its Southeastern reach.

Paul Imaoka, Medical Murray vice president, says the company saw an opportunity to fill a need by coming to Charlotte. The company develops highly sophisticated devices such as catheter systems, permanent implants and products that are

completely compatible with the human body.

It has developed nano-molding capabilities that include patented molding technology of parts weighing less than 1 gram.

Potential clients for Medical Murray’s design, development and regulatory process services run the gamut from sole entrepreneurs to large companies.

These companies can benefit from Medical Murray’s expertise with device manufacturing and services such as filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, quality management and pre-prototype production.

“The area has a lot of medical opportunity,” Imaoka says.

Further proof of the region’s burgeoning medical manufacturing is the recent expansion of Sarstedt, a German health-care products manufacturer with extensive operations in Catawba County, N.C. The company invested more than $14 million in a 2012 expansion that added 50,000 square feet of distribution space. The company, which manufactures laboratory equipment and consumables and analytical equipment for medical diagnostics, charlotteusa.com

23

said the expansion would allow more production to be moved from Germany to Catawba County, where it employs about 220 workers.

Linet Americas is a more recent arrival to Charlotte USA. The Czech Medical Murray located a design and development facility for medical devices in Charlotte.

21

16

Taylorsville

IREDELL

ALEXANDER

64 40

Statesville

Hickory Conover Newton

ROWAN

18

LINCOLN

77 321

Denver

Kannapolis

Cornelius Huntersville

Cherryville

GASTON

Bioinformatics and Nutrition Innovator

Mooresville Davidson

Lincolnton

CLEVELAND

Salisbury

L. Norman

16

CATAWBA

Richfield

Concord

52

49

Albemarle

CABARRUS

16

Republic-based manufacturer of hospital beds and mattresses put its North American headquarters in Charlotte in 2010 as a beachhead to build its U.S. client base. In early 2013, it signed a major deal with Premier Inc. to supply hospital beds and related equipment. Charlotte-based Premier is a purchasing alliance of more than 92,000 hospitals, health-care providers and health-care sites.

24

STANLY

24

Norwood

Mint Hill

218

Clover Smyrna

York

Fort Mill 5

Ansonville

Wadesboro

74

Rock Hill

UNION

YORK

ANSON

Pageland

9

Lancaster Fort Lawn

601

LANCASTER

521

Great Falls

An example of Charlotte USA’s life sciences and biotechnology growth is in York County, S.C. Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, a provider of testing services to clinicians, is investing more than $24 million to create a new facility in Rock Hill that is expected to generate more than 360 jobs. The company chose the area because of the labor force, strategic market location and the health-care community.

24

charlotte usa

biological data, piggybacks off resources that are available from Charlotte’s vibrant financial sector as well.

Curtis says the office promotes growth by connecting people in the community who would not otherwise have access to each other.

“They may not always interact,” Curtis says, “but we do.”

The office even helped secure funding and participants for an international biosciences symposium that brought significant recognition to the area.

Curtis notes that global competitiveness is a growing issue, and the center helps other groups find ways to recognize talent and interest as early as possible, including working with kindergartners through 12th-graders in addition to college students.

9

Chesterfield

151

Cheraw

CHESTERFIELD

903

Heath Springs

52

1

Kershaw

McBee

Bethune

Promoting Life Sciences A number of resources in the region support and promote the industry. Among them is the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, which has a 30-year history of creating opportunities for life sciences innovation and investment through a variety of efforts such as commercialization of research, talent development and funding.

The center’s Greater Charlotte office has made bioinformatics one of its key targets, says Corie Curtis, executive director of the regional office.

Strategically located on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus, the regional office benefits from technical and scientific resources at the university.

Regional work in bioinformatics, which includes software development to analyze

The Charlotte region’s bioinformatics prowess can be found in food research, particularly with nutraceuticals and agricultural biotechnology. UNC Charlotte opened the Bioinformatics Research Center in 2010 at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, N.C. The center uses massive computing power to analyze and interpret volumes of data produced by the elaborate technologies involved in the study of genomes, the biological information found in every living organism.

The NCRC itself is a testament to the power of public-private collaboration in Charlotte USA’s life sciences sector.

Envisioned by food industry pioneer David H. Murdock, the NCRC was developed on the site of a former textile complex, with Murdock investing $1.5 billion to help make it a reality.

The NCRC now includes more than 1 million square feet of state-of-the-art lab and office space where universities, government agencies and private enterprises, such as Dole Food Co., Monsanto and General Mills, are advancing scientific knowledge about plants, fruits, vegetables and nutrition’s links to disease and good health.

The Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies, for example, works to improve nutrition in fruits and

North Carolina’s Biotech Industry

$$ $59 billion

514

58,500

110

Yearly business volume from life sciences companies

Life sciences and biotech firms in the state

Number of direct jobs created

Contract testing and research labs

vegetables while still preserving taste. The center is part of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, one of eight North Carolina universities with a presence at the NCRC. Clinical Trials Leader The presence of highly regarded health-care systems, such as Carolinas HealthCare System and Novant Health, have made Charlotte USA a major center of clinical trials.

Carolinas Medical Center, the Charlotte flagship hospital of Carolinas HealthCare System, in fall 2012 received an $8 million National Institutes of Health grant for a five-year study of how high doses of radiation that patients receive for head and neck cancer damage their tissue. In addition, Levine

Cancer Institute at CMC and UNC Charlotte are collaborating on the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Project in order to leverage regional talent for innovative research.

Carolinas HealthCare System is among the largest nonprofit health-care systems in the nation.

Dr. Michael F. Dulin, chair and medical officer for CHS analytics and outcomes research, says the system uses its partnerships with life sciences companies to improve patient outcomes.

“Because of the reach we have at Carolinas HealthCare System, we can not only impact a large number of people in our region but also influence national and international research,” Dulin says.

Story by Heather Johnston Johnson Photography by Jeff Adkins

Startups

Nurtured Growth Young biotech startups benefit from strategic partnerships Charlotte USA’s life sciences and biotechnology companies already attract global attention. With the work of the Charlotte Research Institute, the industry grows even further as startup companies get the chance to mature.

Dr. Robert Wilhelm, UNC Charlotte vice chancellor for research and economic development, works closely with partners from academic, public and private organizations to generate research and growth opportunities.

Housed on the UNC Charlotte campus, CRI is the science and engineering partner for the university.

“We work for other researchers on

campus to promote transitional research for business partners, and we work on making research talent and research infrastructure available,” Wilhelm says.

Biotech startups are a natural outcome for the resources provided by CRI. The institute provides office and lab space, giving people interested in creating a life sciences-based business more viable options.

CanDiag, a company that offers a blood test for early breast cancer detection, is a prime example of a spin-off company formed at CRI. Another spin-off, SoyMeds, develops

soybean seed-based therapeutics to treat and cure diseases. The university boasts at least 28 spin-off companies.

In addition, CRI offers networking opportunities. One such vehicle is the Charlotte Life Sciences Conference, and Ventureprise Inc. is another resource – the organization helps startups move to the next level.

The institute also builds research partnerships, such as the Charlotte Pancreas Cancer Project, which partners university research capabilities with work at the Levine Cancer Institute.

– Heather Johnston Johnson charlotteusa.com

25

financial services

Paying Dividends 26

charlotte usa

Ally Financial has three Charlotte sites totaling about 200,000 square feet, including a corporate center in Uptown.

the Region’s financial services know-how brings sophisticated operations Center development

C

harlotte’s standing as a global capital of banking can’t be overstated.

The financial services sector employs more than 67,000 people in the region, which is the second-largest banking center in the nation (with more than $2.1 trillion in assets held). Charlotte is home base for Bank of America, one of the world’s largest banking companies, and East Coast headquarters for Wells Fargo.

Additionally, Charlotte USA includes major operations centers for some of the nation’s largest banks and financial services firms. The region’s economic strength extends from the Uptown central banking district, where Bank of America and Wells Fargo are joined by Fifth Third and Ally Financial, to the sprawling campus of TIAA-CREF in Charlotte and Fiserv’s regional operations in Catawba County, N.C.

charlotteusa.com

27

Other major banking, insurance, and financial operations centers are located throughout the 16-county region.

The presence of these banking giants continues to attract sophisticated financial support industries to Charlotte USA, like Hewitt Associates human resource and benefits administration, and Capgemini, providing tech-based support and consulting services.

Skilled Workers Lead Growth The institutions can draw on the region’s corps of 28,000 information technology professionals to help serve their global customers. Charlotte’s highly skilled workforce fuels the more than 75 back office and service center operations, like that of Wells Fargo’s Customer Information Center.

The CIC is Wells Fargo’s largest owned property and its largest hub of employees in Charlotte.

With almost half of the company’s 20,750 team members in the region working at the facility, the 157-acre campus continues to be one of its key locations.

“The Customer Information Center was designed to be an operations facility that allows a diverse set of business functions to operate in a central location,” says Bob Bertges, corporate properties director at Wells Fargo.

“All of these teams provide a unique value to how we serve and provide products to our customers.

Charlotte and the CIC have always been a key part of our strategy, from First Union to Wachovia and now Wells Fargo.”

TIAA-CREF opened its largest office on a nearly 140-acre campus in Charlotte in 2001. TIAA-CREF is a national financial services organization with $502 billion in assets under management and the leading provider of retirement

28

charlotte usa

services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields.

Financial Services Expansion In March 2013, Metlife Inc., a Fortune 50 global life insurance and employee benefits company, announced major investment in Charlotte, where it will create 1,300 jobs at a new U.S. retail headquarters. The company cited the region’s “robust infrastructure and sustainable talent pool” as key drivers in its decision.

Charlotte’s vast and diverse resources support the success of the corporate partners in the region and encourage expansion and increased capital investment.

In 2009, Ally Financial expanded in Charlotte by establishing a corporate center in the heart of the city’s central business district.

Ally employs nearly 750 people in Charlotte and occupies approximately 200,000 square feet at three sites throughout the city.

“The decision to establish an Uptown location was driven largely by the availability of financial services talent and expertise due to Charlotte’s reputation as a premier banking center,” says Jeff Brown, Ally’s senior executive vice president of finance and corporate planning. “When we factored in other amenities that make the area desirable to the business community, we knew the location was well suited to meet Ally’s needs.”

Fiserv’s regional call center supports financial institution clients by taking customer service calls, providing online technical support, data processing and customer management. Fiserv has exceeded its original commitment, investing more than $6 million and creating more than 440 new jobs at the customer care facility in Hickory.

“The city of Hickory and Catawba

County have been strong partners to Fiserv, providing the support and infrastructure that has enabled us be successful in our Charlotte regional operations,” says Kevin McLaughlin, director of Fiserv Customer Solutions.

Story by Sue Siens Photography by Jeff Adkins

Crunch the Numbers in Charlotte USA

2 Rank of Charlotte as a U.S. banking center

73,000 Financial services workers in the region

75+ Call centers and back office operations, 20 employing more than 500 workers

11,000 Residents of the region with securities licenses, such as series 7

28,000 Information technology workers in the region

$2.13 trillion Value of assets held

by Charlotte region’s financial institutions

Charlotte’s central banking district includes Wells Fargo’s East Coast headquarters and Bank of America’s world headquarters.

charlotteusa.com

29

energy

High Voltage Growth

the ‘Silicon Valley of Energy’ shaping the industry’s future

charlotteusa.com

31

The energy industry is a major customer base for General Microcircuits, which has its headquarters in Mooresville, N.C.

32

charlotte usa

A

s vice president at Siemens Energy, Mark Pringle has watched Charlotte’s energy sector grow and grab center stage. From solar manufacturing to renewables to energy efficiency and nuclear power, Charlotte USA has more than 260 energy companies that employ nearly 28,000 workers, including some of the region’s more than 11,000 engineers.

Industry-backed collaboration, customized training programs at colleges and universities, top-notch transportation and a wealth of advanced manufacturing prowess combine to fuel an energy hub that seems unstoppable.

“It is growing and becoming real,” Pringle says. “A lot of cities talk about it but we have real things in place.”

N.C., to make high-voltage cable for transmitting power from wind and solar farms or upgrading aging transmission lines.

Celgard manufactures fuel cells in Cabarrus County, N.C., and recently expanded its operations. Sencera manufactures thin-film solar panels in Charlotte.

Anchors of Energy Sector The region is a center of nuclear power engineering and technology. Companies, such as AREVA, are moving their North American headquarters to Charlotte, and CB&I, Toshiba, Parsons, URS, Westinghouse and Mitsubishi already have substantial operations in the area. More than 11 percent of the nation’s supply of nuclear power comes from the Carolinas.

Charlotte, known as the New Energy Capital, also is home base for Duke Energy, one of the world’s largest energy outfits and a Fortune 500 company. Duke attracts energy-related manufacturing and service operations to the region, as does Siemens Energy, which is based in Charlotte. Siemens produces turbines and generators in a 1 million-square-foot manufacturing complex that underwent a major expansion in 2011.

Its presence has drawn other manufacturers that supply the company, including a logistics provider that relocated from Canada, Pringle says.

Diverse and specialized energy manufacturers are setting up shop or expanding. In September 2012, ABB opened a $90 million plant in Huntersville,

Duke Energy’s headquarters are in Charlotte.

“The workforce is here and the spirit of innovation is here.”

Scott Carlberg, president of E 4 Carolinas

charlotteusa.com

33

Jolt of Energy

260+ Energy-related companies in Charlotte USA

28,000 Workers in the region’s energy sector

11,000 Engineers who work in the region

39 Power plants in the 16-county region

12 Nuclear reactors in the Carolinas

Specialty Manufacturer Stand-Outs Hans Hartenstein, president of STEAG Energy Services, says the 16-county region is poised to become the Silicon Valley of energy.

From its base in Kings Mountain in Cleveland County, N.C., STEAG has repurposed and upgraded three former textile mills to produce large equipment that helps energy producers meet environmental regulations. The company is expanding again, with another property under contract for projected completion in late 2014.

“We have no intention to stop there,” Hartenstein says. “We are one of only four such facilities in the world. We are the largest one and intend to stay that way.”

Adding new product and service lines are under consideration, too.

“Before 2009, people didn’t realize we had a lot of energy companies,” he says.

“It was taken for granted. We certainly moved up on the perception ladder. We are attracting more and more energy companies to the region. It shows the cluster works.”

General Microcircuits’ location in Mooresville, N.C., has allowed the company to grow domestically and internationally. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, plus other transportation assets, allow the company to expand its reach to all markets east of the Mississippi as well as Texas, says David Dalton, president of General Microcircuits.

The company specializes in electronic circuit boards for energy generation, transmission, measurement and consumption.

“Everything is going digital and raising the profile of the energy companies in this region,” Dalton says. “We are creating a cluster that is providing the opportunity to connect the dots.”

E4 Brings Energy Players Together The dots get a big boost with E 4 Carolinas, a nonprofit organization launched in fall 2012 to promote the

34

charlotte usa

region as a hub for energy manufacturing, engineering, research and education.

Founding supporters include Siemens, Duke, General Microcircuits and STEAG, among others.

“Our region not only has a concentration of expertise but an attitude of success, and that matters a lot,” says Scott Carlberg, E4 president. “Businesses understand when to compete and when to collaborate.”

E 4 is technology-agnostic but sector-evangelical. Leadership development for emerging energy company stars, workforce programs with higher education partners and enhanced project management training are in play.

“We are the place to be for the future of energy,” Carlberg says. “We get it. We have a terrific engineering base, the workforce is here and the spirit of innovation is here.

We make things happen.”

Story by Pamela Coyle Photography by Jeff Adkins Find more about Charlotte USA’s energy sector at businessclimate.com/charlotte.

JOULE OF A RESOURCE Charlotte USA offers a wealth of resources for entrepreneurs, including those in its fast-growing energy sector. One example is the CLT Joules business incubator at Packard Place. The brainchild of founder Curtis Watkins, CLT Joules is designed to be a business community for early-stage energy companies. It offers access to a number of resources and experts in a range of subjects to help startup energy businesses plan and execute a strategic business model.

Bonjour, AREVA Charlotte will be home to the new North American headquarters for AREVA, the French energy giant. AREVA wanted to move its North American hub out of Bethesda, Md., and closer to one of its operating units. The expansion is expected to bring 130 new energy jobs to Charlotte by 2016. AREVA officials cited international airline service, opportunity for energy partnerships, and community atmosphere among the factors in selecting Charlotte as its North American headquarters. AREVA already has about 600 employees in the region, most in the company’s nuclear operations.

AREVA, which opened an office in Charlotte in 2002, is one of the 260 energy-related companies with operations in the region.

charlotteusa.com

35

motorsports

Lead Lap in innovation charlotte usa’s Motorsports industry is driven by the region’s technological and advanced materials capabilities

More than 700 businesses that support the motorsports industry are located in Charlotte USA

36

charlotte usa

The region is home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the offices of NASCAR.com

motorsports -related programs are offered at several area colleges and universities including unc charlotte

Hendrick Motorsports in Concord, N.C., includes a museum with famous stock cars, racing-related exhibits and trophy displays.

charlotteusa.com

37

I

f you want to work in the auto racing industry – be it turning the steering wheel or making it – there is one special place to be: Charlotte USA. While race tracks are located coast to coast, the bulk of the vast NASCAR racing industry can be found in the Charlotte region.

More than 90 percent of all NASCAR teams are located within 50 miles of downtown Charlotte, along with the Charlotte Motor Speedway race track, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the offices of NASCAR.com.

This need for speed is fueled by

more than 700 businesses that support the motorsports industry, generating an annual economic impact in the region of approximately $5 billion.

“I’m from Texas, and I moved here to be in the racing industry,” says Tracy Trotter, president of Calico Coatings, a company in Denver, N.C., that treats racing parts to help reduce friction wear, heat and corrosion. “All the teams are here, and they need people to help them go racing every weekend.

The closer you are to them, the better. If you want to work with them long-term and be successful, you really need to be here.”

‘Where the Talent Is’ These two groups – the race teams and the businesses that support them – feed off each other when it comes to innovations in engineering and production. The teams are constantly seeking ways for their vehicles to be faster and more durable. In turn, they reach into the surrounding Charlotte region to make those visions become reality through advanced manufacturing capabilities.

“Like any highly competitive environment, it ultimately comes down to people making the difference,” says Marshall

“You have to go where the talent is, and this is where the talent is for NASCAR racing.”

Marshall Carlson, president of Hendrick Motorsports

Students build a high-performance race car at the Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory at UNC Charlotte.

38

charlotte usa

Carlson, president of Hendrick Motorsports, one of the top teams in NASCAR. “Even with all the technology that we utilize, you still have to have access to the right smart people who are motivated, dedicated and knowledgeable about what we’re trying to accomplish. You have to go where the talent is, and this is where the talent is for NASCAR racing.”

90%

of NASCAR teams are based within a 50-mile radius of Charlotte

Fast-Track Degree Some of that talent comes through the racing-oriented educational programs found in Charlotte. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has a Motorsports Engineering program that regularly produces interns and entry-level engineers for NASCAR teams. The school’s Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory, named after the 1992 NASCAR champion and engineer, has 6,800 square feet of research space where students build actual race cars. And at the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research, students receive a mechanical engineering degree with a motorsports concentration, focusing heavily on aerodynamics and engine development.

“From community college up through advanced degree programs, there are institutions that have clustered around the Charlotte region to train people in motorsports engineering, marketing and business functions related to the sport,” Carlson says.

“There’s this hub of NASCAR racing that has established itself in Charlotte, and that’s where the people are who know how to make winning race cars.”

This concentration of individual talent and NASCAR need has attracted a large number of motorsports-related businesses to the Charlotte area. For example,

DC Electronics of Britain, a company that makes electrical systems for race teams, opened a production facility in Mooresville, N.C., in 2012, largely in response to NASCAR’s decision that same year to change its race engines to electronic fuel injection.

“We are constantly working with both the NASCAR teams and NASCAR itself in developing newer products that enhance performance and safety,” says DCE general manager Jack Hastings. “It is a constant source of manufacturing to meet current and future needs, because NASCAR is always looking at something new.

“There are companies around here that provide composite materials and a lot of higher technology type of products and experiences needed to meet the NASCAR and the local motorsports market that weren’t required 10 years ago. They’ve really stepped that up, and it’s made it very attractive for companies like ours to come here.”

Story by Cary Estes Photography by Jeff Adkins

Driven to Succeed

$5 Billion Economic impact of motorsports in Charlotte USA

700 Motorsports-related companies in the Charlotte region

3 Wind tunnels located in the region

134,000 Seating capacity at Charlotte Motor Speedway

MOTORSPORTS

LEAD L AP INNOVAIN TION

Hendrick Motorsports in Concord museum with includes famous stock related exhibits cars, racing- a and trophy displays.

MOTORSPO RTS, AUTO INDUSTRY DRIVEN BY RACING TECHNOLO REGION’S GICAL ADVAN CES AND NASCAR CONN ECTIONS

MORE THAN

700 BUSINESS ES THAT SUPPORT THE MOTORSP ORTS INDUSTRY ARE LOCATED IN THE CHARLOT TE USA REGION

36

CHARLO

TTE USA

THE AREA IS HOME TO THE CHARLOT TE MOTOR SPEEDWAY, THE HALL OF FAME NASCAR AND THE NASCAR.C OM OFFICES.

RACING-O RIENTED ARE AVAILABL CLASSES E AT UNC CHARLOT TE AND THE NORTH CAROLINA CENTER FOR AUTOMOT IVE RESEARC H

BUSINES

Digital Magazine Read more about auto racing at businessclimate.com/charlotte.

SCLIMAT

E.COM/C

HARLOT

TE

37

Read it online or on your tablet and quickly share articles with friends. charlotteusa.com

39

Film and television

Marquee Attraction Charlotte USA’s geographic diversity, resources land the region a starring role in film and television productions

The region’s film and TV production sector generates an annual economic impact of more than $500 million

40

charlotte usa

Competitive incentive packages and a top-notch transportation system draw filmmakers to Charlotte USA

charlotte USA’s high quality of life has helped draw Hundreds of film production crew members to the region

The Hunger Games, released in 2012, was filmed in the Charlotte USA region.

C

harlotte USA shines in the spotlight – and it’s only getting brighter. The region’s diverse landscape, wealth of production companies and crew members, and competitive film incentives are drawing filmmakers and television producers from all over, generating an economic impact of more than $500 million.

The 16-county, two-state region’s impressive resume features movies such as box office blockbusters The Hunger Games, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, The Color Purple, Leatherheads and Shallow Hal. Television shows filmed in the region include Showtime’s Emmy-winning Homeland and Cinemax’s Banshee. Commercials, corporate videos, documentaries and other works are also filmed in the area.

Transportation Advantages Based in Los Angeles, Cinelease has locations around the United States, making equipment shipments incredibly important. The Charlotte region’s excellent transportation assets – including Charlotte Douglas International Airport and a rail system that handles more than 600 trains weekly – make it a great location for the company, says Steve Spalding, regional sales manager for eastern sales at Cinelease, a grip and lighting equipment rental company that’s part of Hertz Entertainment Services Corp.

“Charlotte is very accessible, and it’s easy to ship equipment at the fast pace that productions work,” he says.

The airport averages more than 700 daily domestic and international flights and offers more than charlotteusa.com

41

130 direct flights – among them five nonstop flights to Los Angeles and 40 direct flights to New York City. In addition, the airport handles more than 127.2 million tons of cargo annually.

“Charlotte is a US Airways hub, and it’s easy to get in and out of here,” says Emily McCarty, coordinating producer and director of media services for Marty Snider & Associates, a Charlottebased video production company. “It’s a good, central location for what we do. We’ve had direct flights almost everywhere we’ve needed to go, including Nassau in the Bahamas.”

Competitive Film Incentives In addition to a top-notch transportation system, Charlotte USA offers an incentive package that’s tough to turn down.

In North Carolina, filmmakers who spend at least $250,000 can receive a refundable tax credit of as much as 25 percent, capping at $20 million, on their in-state spending for goods, services and labor. The state’s film production tax is also refundable.

South Carolina filmmakers spending at least $1 million can receive a wage rebate up to 25 percent on South Carolina resident employees, 20 percent on out-of-state labor, as well as a rebate for up to 30 percent of all goods and services purchased, rented or leased by the production company from a supplier in the state.

Furthermore, South Carolina filmmakers who spend at least $250,000 can receive a 6 to 8.5 percent state sales tax exemption on all purchases, rentals

and leases, and no location fee is charged for state properties.

“The incentives are really what help pull projects here,” says Beth Petty, director of the Charlotte Regional Film Commission. “They definitely put us on the radar screen.”

Strong Crew Base Hundreds of talented crew members have Charlotte USA on their radar screens, too, and are putting down roots in the region.

“The crew base is multi-production deep,” Spalding says. “That’s what sets Charlotte apart from other cities in the Southeast.”

Robert Newcomb, who has served as a camera operator and director of photography for various productions, such as the TV series Army Wives, Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill, grew up in Charlotte and chose to stay in the area while pursuing a career in film and television.

“Charlotte has been a great home base for me because of my history here, my family and friends, and the livability of the region,” Newcomb says.

“It has been and remains for me a wonderful place to call home.”

Petty also notes that the region’s many amenities make Charlotte USA a popular place for crew members to live and work.

“Quality of life here is phenomenal,” Petty says.

“It’s a wonderful place to raise a family, and we have great entertainment venues and restaurants.”

Story by Jessica Walker Boehm Photography by Jeff Adkins

Major Films Shot in Charlotte USA

1985 The Color Purple

1999 Carrie 2: The Rage 42

charlotte usa

2000 The Original Kings of Comedy

2000 The Patriot

Major TV Shows Filmed in Charlotte USA Homeland Banshee The Bachelor The Bachelorette American Idol Cake Boss What Not to Wear Bad Girls Club The Biggest Loser America’s Got Talent

Photo Courtesy of Fred Norris/Cinemax

Property Virgins

The Cinemax series Banshee is filmed in Charlotte USA.

South Carolina Film Incentives

North Carolina Film Incentives

Spend at least $1 million and receive wage rebates up to 25 percent on South Carolina resident employees, 20 percent on out-of-state labor, plus a rebate up to 30 percent on all goods and services purchased, rented or leased by the production company from a South Carolina supplier. Spend at least $250,000 and receive a 6 to 8.5 percent state sales tax exemption on all purchases, rentals and leases, and location fee is waived for state properties.

Spend a minimum of $250,000 and receive a refundable tax credit of as much as 25 percent (capping at $20 million) on in-state spending for goods, services and labor. The state’s film production tax is also refundable. Eligible productions include theatrical, television and direct-to-DVD productions; television series; miniseries; commercials; and animated features.

Source: www.charlotteusa.com

2006 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

2001 Shallow Hal

2012 The Hunger Games

2008 April Fool’s Day Leatherheads charlotteusa.com

43

The Byte Stuff Charlotte USA becomes a power in data center development, with top tech companies setting up shop

44

charlotte usa

technology

charlotteusa.com

45

D

owntime is the enemy of a 24/7 business.

For that reason, tech heavyweights Apple, Disney, AT&T and Time Warner Cable are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Charlotte USA to develop data centers that afford maximum reliability.

Apple’s commitment of more than $1 billion has spurred the growth of several key industries within the Charlotte region and served as one of the primary catalysts for development of North Carolina’s ‘Data Center Corridor,’ a somewhat linear grouping of data centers along the US 321/western North Carolina area, says Scott Millar, president of the Catawba County Economic Development Corp.

Bed Bath & Beyond, which has announced plans to occupy a $36.8 million facility in the Claremont International Business Park, in Catawba County, and Wipro/Infocrossing, with a center in Kings Mountain, are other major companies relying on the region for data center needs. Reasons include the abundant, reliable and low-cost electrical energy; stable weather patterns; accessibility; favorable tax structure; and pre-developed sites available to inspect, buy and build in rapid fashion.

Heavyweights in Kings Mountain AT&T recently invested $200 million in a new enterprise data center in Kings Mountain in Cleveland County, N.C. “We spent a lot of time evaluating sites across the country and used a prioritized set of criteria and filters to determine which offered the best fit,” says Josh Gelinas, AT&T spokesman. “Based on those criteria, we chose Kings Mountain. The new facility is expected to bring more than 100 jobs to the area and projected to have an economic impact of $935 million over 10 years.”

AT&T joins The Walt Disney Co., which has completed a $200 million data center in Kings Mountain, and Wipro subsidiary Infocrossing, whose green-featured data center in Cleveland County has achieved LEED Gold certification.

Kristin Fletcher, executive vice president of economic development for the Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership, says that local company RST Global Communications has completed the first portion of an underground, 100 percent fiber optic network that will provide broadband Internet, phone and TV services to residents and businesses.

“Wipro’s data center is one of the first companies connected to

RST’s fiber optic network,” Fletcher says. “Having this technological infrastructure in place, and becoming a wired community, sends a message to the world that Cleveland County is a locale for the digital economy.

At present, T5 Partners has built a data center powered-shell building that we are marketing to data center prospects.”

Time Warner Expansion In late 2012, Time Warner Cable opened an $82 million data center at its Charlotte campus as part of a $101 million expansion.

The data center brought 225 new jobs to the region. The new center features the latest IP technology to host applications that support customer emails, manage billing records and provide all backend applications to TWC employees.

The building also includes cloud technology from NaviSite, a TWC company whose platform is designed to address IT issues confronting small and mediumsized businesses and enterprise organizations.

“Charlotte was the right choice because the city met a whole array of criteria: a strong talent pool in the local workforce, reasonable costs of doing business, attractive incentives for building on our major presence in the city and local elected officials who value and welcome business

The Right Connections

Charlotte USA’s Data Center Advantages

Highly developed fiber optics infrastructure

46

charlotte usa

Reliable and advanced energy grid

Low power and electrical energy costs

Readily available water sources

Stable weather location and patterns

Skilled workforce and favorable labor environment

investment,” says Jim Ludington, TWC senior vice president of technology business operations.

Energy Link Another driver for tech companies is the tie-in to Charlotte’s fast-growing energy and renewable energy sector.

Millar cites Apple’s goal of providing 100 percent of its energy use via renewable energy sources. The company just completed its first solar farm adjacent to its data center in Maiden, N.C., as well as the nation’s largest privately operated fuel cell system. Apple is also grading a second, equally large solar facility in nearby Conover next to the ncDataCampus business park.

The Charlotte region’s rapidly developing muscle in data center

“Charlotte was the right choice because the city met a whole array of criteria.”

Jim Ludington, TWC senior vice president

development is gaining notice.

“The consequence of this validation of the region’s capabilities by the biggest tech companies in the world is that every chief information officer in the country now has to inspect North Carolina when considering locations for their data centers,” Millar says.

Story by Nan Bauroth

Digital Magazine Read it online or on your tablet and quickly share articles with friends.

Tech business growth

Expansion Mode Fast-growing Red Ventures finds region is primed for growth Charlotte USA is developing a growing reputation as a center of technology-based innovation, and it has become fertile ground for expansion. The region climbed 75 spots to No. 35 on the 2012 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities index, a ranking that indicates above-average growth in technology GDP and concentration of technology businesses.

One of the region’s success stories is Red Ventures, an innovative Internet-based marketing company that has grown from 300 employees in 2009 to more than 1,000 now. And it’s planning to get bigger. Red Ventures announced in summer 2012 that it would expand its campus in Indian Land in Lancaster County, S.C., and add 1,000 more jobs there by 2017.

The company employs analytics and proprietary technology to develop strategic marketing and sales programs for companies such as DirecTV and ADT that optimize customer life cycles. The company has twice been ranked among the top 20 fastest-growing private companies in the nation on the Inc. 500 list, and it was No. 1 on the Charlotte Business Journal’s Best Places to Work ranking for two straight years.

“There is a certain energy and excitement about being here,” says Dan Feldstein, Red Ventures’ co-founder and chief marketing officer. “It’s fun to be part of a growing entity, and Charlotte has that feel.”

The rapid rise of Red Ventures is a function of being in the right place at the right time in the digital age, as well. The company offers expertise in online marketing, telephone sales and building technology infrastructure, spanning the entire direct marketing spectrum from lead generation to sales transaction. This unusual combination of marketing and selling services has created a profitable niche of clients.

Feldstein says the region has all the right stuff to propel his company’s growth.

“Charlotte has been very welcoming to us from the standpoint of offering a great labor pool and having some big-city features while maintaining a small-town atmosphere,” he says.

He notes that, when Red Ventures recruits superstar candidates from outside the region, they have heard amazing things about Charlotte, including the lower cost of living, access to beach and mountains and a family-friendly environment.

“With the advent of all we can do on the Internet today as a productivity tool as well as a marketing channel outlet, the people and companies in this area are committed to investment in the growth of the tech sector, and that includes Red Ventures,” Feldstein says.

– Nan Bauroth charlotteusa.com

47

education

Dr. Hang Chen works with students at Johnson C. Smith University’s College of STEM.

Rooted in STEM

Region invests in science, math, technology education and helps students score jobs in top industries

D

o the math: Charlotte USA is making a major commitment to programs to expand teaching and learning in STEM disciplines, the science, technology, engineering and math principles that prepare students for in-demand careers.

STEM-related learning tracks are a vital component in filling the talent pipeline for innovation-heavy industry clusters in the region.

With national studies showing increased demand for STEM programs in schools and technology-oriented training programs for workers, Charlotte USA is meeting the challenge on several fronts.

One example is the STEMersion program, which is teaching middle school and high school teachers about the in-demand and emerging careers available in Charlotte USA. The program is a partnership between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Central Piedmont charlotteusa.com

49

Community College and major employers in the region, such as Livingston & Haven, Piedmont Natural Gas, Sarstedt Group, Siemens and Time Warner Cable.

“Several local businesses don’t have enough technical workers to support their future hiring needs, so these companies got together to begin STEMersion,” says Chris Paynter, dean of STEM at Central Piedmont Community College. “Many area

an experience that mirrors being in a control room at a nuclear power plant,” says Laura Clise, AREVA director of external communications and corporate citizenship. “Teachers learn about how STEM competencies translate into support for AREVA’s technologies and services and also that AREVA offers careers in areas such as project management, outage services, business development, sales and, of course, engineering. They can then share this information with their students.”

Market-Driven Programs

A computer engineering student works at the Johnson C. Smith University STEM College.

teachers felt they had an incomplete idea of top jobs available in the Charlotte region because they spend their time in the classroom and aren’t necessarily industry-focused.”

Company to Company STEMersion includes company visits by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers, who spend a day at each company to learn about education skills that the businesses look for when hiring.

“There are lots of exciting, challenging and lucrative career paths for students to choose in STEM, with high demand for mechanical, civil and electrical engineering and technology professionals,” Paynter says. “Right now, the STEMersion program is available only to middle and high school teachers in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools each summer, but there are plans to expand into Cabarrus, Gaston and Rowan counties.”

One area company that was a charter member of the STEMersion steering committee is AREVA, which produces nuclear power and advocates for a clean energy future. Relying heavily on engineering and technical talent, AREVA invites 25 STEMersion teachers to its site each summer.

“We have a simulator lab that provides them with

50

charlotte usa

STEM-related learning is front and center at many of the region’s higher education institutions.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College was one of 12 community colleges across the nation to receive part of a $15 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to partner with employers to train displaced workers for careers in the biosciences and health care. UNC Charlotte’s Center for STEM Education offers resources to improve K-12 STEM teaching methods in North Carolina, and it also offers programs to encourage STEM learning.

At Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, the College of STEM is employing a market-driven approach that incorporates multidisciplinary learning to prepare students for top careers.

JCSU has 330 students in its STEM curriculum and expects the count to reach 450 by 2016. The university has broken ground on a 62,000-squarefoot Science Center funded primarily by a $25 million grant from The Duke Endowment.

The science center, part of the university’s STEM complex, will open in 2014 with an auditorium, classrooms, labs and a 250-seat lecture hall.

“Our faculty is transforming traditional STEM education into more market-driven classrooms to compete in the new economy,” says Jennifer Gaskins, assistant director of communications and marketing at JCSU. Story by Kevin Litwin

Apprenticeship 2000 Ensuring that manufacturers have the workforce they need, and providing workers with skills for success, is the mission of Apprenticeship 2000. The four-year technical training program, which has graduated more than 115 students, recruits juniors and seniors from Charlotte-area high schools and provides career development opportunities.

The program is a partnership of Central Piedmont Community College, the North Carolina Department of Labor and corporate participants. Students receive hands-on training at partner companies, and when they complete the program, they earn an associate’s degree in mechatronics technology and a guarantee of a job.

Innovative Education

Accelerated Learning BioMoto program mixes STEM disciplines with motorsports The BioMoto program, coordinated by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, is bringing a new approach to STEM disciplines (science, engineering, technology and math) while exposing more than 250 eighth-graders and 16 teachers representing 11 middle schools in the Cabarrus County, Kannapolis City, Richmond County and Rowan-Salisbury school systems to the motorsports industry.

Partnering with the NCBC is the North Carolina Motorsports Association, while funding is provided through a grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation, as well as financial support from 30 companies.

“Studies show that eighth grade is the time when students typically opt in or out of science, so given that the Charlotte area is near so many NASCAR teams, the BioMoto initiative engages students in a technology and motorsports endeavor for a full two semesters,” says Corie Curtis, executive director of the NCBC’s Greater Charlotte office.

“Each fall, a new group of eighth-graders from the four

school systems begins the program, and we are looking to involve even more districts in the near future,” she says.

Invent a Movable Apparatus

Curtis says the endeavor is filled with interesting examples of how STEM impacts motorsports.

“Students learn several real-world applications such as nutrition and physical fitness for racing drivers and pit crew members, plus the eighth-graders participate in their own pit crew challenges with a real stock car at Rockingham Dragway,” she says.

Curtis adds that a key component of BioMoto is having the eighth-graders invent and construct a movable nonracing apparatus.

“We’ve had lots of good feedback about BioMoto, with several students – both girls and boys – saying they are now more interested in STEM than ever before, ” Curits says.

– Kevin Litwin

transportation

Driven From Within Charlotte USA invests in strong and expanding transportation network

600

Freight trains run through the region each week

52

charlotte usa

700+

Daily flights from Charlotte Douglas International Airport

300

Trucking firms located in the region

A

I-77 stretches through Charlotte and intersects with I-85 near the center of the city.

driving force in Charlotte USA’s sustained economic growth is its host of transportation and logistics advantages.

If the real estate axiom of location, location, location applies, then the region is in a geographic sweet spot between major markets in the Northeast and Southeast.

Charlotte USA offers a number of advantages for easy access to those markets, including major interstates, highways, Class I and shortline rail, airports and major East Coast ports.

Two interstates – I-77 and I-85 – run north and south and intersect near the city’s center, while I-40 serves the 16-county, two-state region, connecting points east and west. As a result, more than 300 trucking firms and 100 distribution facilities have operations in the area.

The transportation infrastructure has been aided by a public commitment to investment. In York County, S.C., for example, voters added 1 cent to the county’s 5 percent sales tax solely to focus on road construction projects.

“The tax began in 1997 with voters barely passing the measure, and that money went toward local improvements to I-77,” says Mark Farris, York County director of economic development. “When voters saw all the positives from that 1-cent tax – called Pennies for Progress – they renewed the program three times. The latest renewal occurred in 2010 with 79 percent of voters approving it.”

Farris says road improvements have led to increased investment in York County, including Ross Dress for Less’ $300 million in recent years for distribution center projects. Stanley Black & Decker, US Food Service, Performance Food Group and Northern Tool & Equipment have major distribution facilities here as well.

“A key reason is because our road projects have allowed us to provide big trucks with an excellent connection between I-85 and I-77,” he says. “The goal in York County is to improve all of our major roads to five lanes, and we’ve become recognized as a transportation success model throughout South Carolina and even into North Carolina.” charlotteusa.com

53

By Air and Rail Charlotte USA also enjoys an extensive rail network, with 600 trains running through the region every week. CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway are the Class I service providers, while short line connectors include Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway and Lancaster & Chester Railroad.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport was the sixth-busiest U.S. airport in 2012, handling more than 41.2 million passengers. The airport’s more than 700 daily flights include direct service to major international business destinations including Munich, London, Paris and Mexico City.

The airport handled more than 127.2 million tons of cargo in 2012. Norfolk Southern is developing a $92 million intermodal facility on a 200-acre site at the airport, which will be capable of 200,000 lifts per year for transfer of trailers and containers between trucks and trains, making this a key hub for distribution in the Southeast.

An additional 17 general aviation facilities also serve Charlotte USA, with all 16 counties in the region having at least one municipal airport. Of those 17 facilities, five are regional airports – Bryant Field Airport in York County, S.C.; Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport in Union County, N.C.; Gastonia Municipal Airport in Gaston County, N.C.; Hickory Regional Airport in Catawba County, N.C.; and Concord Regional Airport in Cabarrus County, N.C. These airports provide facilities and services for corporate jets and general aviation aircraft, and also provide additional capacity to relieve congestion at

Charlotte Douglas. Concord Regional, for example, houses several private aircraft used by NASCAR race teams, including jets owned by top racing teams such as Gibbs, Hendricks, Penske, Roush and Stewart-Haas.

A 2012 North Carolina Airport Economic Contribution Study stated the airport contributes $175 million annually to the local economy and supports almost 2,000 jobs, says Rick Cloutier, Concord Regional Airport aviation director.

“We are the fifth-busiest airport in North Carolina with about 60,000 operations a year, and we have our own rescue, security and firefighting services on the grounds,” Cloutier says.

Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport offers a number of services, from hangar rentals to flight planning to conference space, designed to accommodate both weekend general aviation enthusiasts and pilots who fly the aircraft that serve corporate clients, including the nearby cluster of aerospace-related industries. Bryant Field in Rock Hill is adjacent to a 100-acre industrial park, and some sites in the park allow aircraft to taxi up to the plant door.

And like Charlotte USA, the region’s airports show no sign of slowing down.

“We have a 7,400-foot runway that can land everything up to 737s,” says Cloutier of Concord Regional Airport. “We’re in the process of negotiating with a few airlines to hopefully provide us with daily commercial flight offerings in the near future.”

Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Staff Photographers

A Hendrick Motorsports airplane takes off at the Concord Regional Airport, which is the fifth-busiest airport in North Carolina.

54

charlotte usa

Charlotte Douglas International Airport ÌÌ Direct destination flights: 140, including major international cities ÌÌ Passenger volume (2012): 41.2 million, sixth-highest among U.S. airports ÌÌ Cargo volume: 127.2 million tons in 2012 ÌÌ Employees: 20,000 workers, including more than 6,600 employed

by US Airways, which operates a major hub at the airport ÌÌ Economic impact: More than $10 billion annually, according to a study by the Center for Transportation Studies at UNC Charlotte Charlotte Douglas International Airport offers more than 700 daily flights.

Economic profile

10.4% Construction:

5.1% Transportation & Utilities

3.9%

Wholesale Trade

4.1%

Public Administration

11.6% Information

1.9%

Source: Esri, 2012

Novant Health

Carolinas HealthCare System Wells Fargo Walmart Stores Bank of America

Delhaize America Inc/Food Lion

Income

Duke Energy

Per Capita Income:

$25,407

US Airways

Source: Esri, 2012

Cost of Living

Agriculture

Median Household Income:

Median Home Sale Price:

$$ Estimated Rent for a 2BR Apartment:

Source: EMSI, 2013

Source: Esri, 2012

Source: Carolinas mls, june 2013

Source: c2er, msa only

1.1%

7,436

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

8,500

10.3%

8,700

Retail Trade

10,700

9.2%

15,000

Manufacturing

Region: 2,709,928 Alexander: 37,947 Anson: 27,042 Cabarrus: 184,050 Catawba: 155,457 Chester: 33,524 Chesterfield: 46,967 Cleveland: 99,128 Gaston: 208,634 Iredell: 163,176 Lancaster: 80,201 Lincoln: 79,662 Mecklenburg: 962,102 Rowan: 139,341 Stanly: 61,467 Union: 200,821 York: 236,387

16,100

42.3%

Top Employers

20,500

Services

2012 Population

32,500

Major Industry Sectors

$48,270

$184,000 $816

Largest Counties

Educational Attainment High School Graduate

84.3%

Bachelor’s Degree

18.4%

Advanced Degree or More

Mecklenburg 962,102

York 236,387

Union 200,821

8.2% Source: Esri, 2010

charlotteusa.com

57

Open daily, the Giordana Velodrome in Rock Hill, S.C., hosts races every Friday night, as well as clinics and other special events.

58

Charlotte usa

livability

Schedule a Play Date from sports to outdoor recreation, the region offers a bevy of activities

I

f you are a fan of the NFL, NBA or NASCAR, Charlotte USA has plenty to offer. And if you’re a fan of college sports, professional golf, baseball and outdoor recreation, the region offers more than enough to see and do.

Minor league baseball teams in the region include the Charlotte Knights and Kannapolis Intimidators, while Charlotte USA hosts golf tour stops for the PGA, Champions Tour and LPGA. Other pro teams in the region include the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League and the Charlotte Hounds of Major League Lacrosse.

For paddlers, there is the U.S. National Whitewater Center, plus a number of youth tournaments and multiple sports complexes are showcased within several cities throughout the region. One of the top sports complexes is in north-central South Carolina at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center, which has several

facilities used by locals. The center also attracts outof-towners through regional, state and national events.

“We made the decision a few years ago to focus not only on our fine parks and recreation system, but add tourism to the mix to bring more visitors here for sporting events,” says John Taylor, operations supervisor for Rock Hill Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

“As a result, our Rock Hill Outdoor Center provided an $18 million economic impact to our community in 2012.”

Home of the Velodrome The Outdoor Center features a canoe and kayak launch site on the Catawba River, plus 2 ¼ miles of hiking trails that wind alongside the corresponding river bank. There are also eight miles of mountain biking trails as well as a Giordana Velodrome bicycle racing oval that hosted a U.S. Masters national tournament in 2012. charlotteusa.com

59

The Kannapolis Intimidators play at 4,700-seat CMC-NorthEast Stadium.

“The Velodrome has many future competitions booked, and it hosts racing series events on most weekends,” Taylor says.

Meanwhile, future plans at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center include adding a BMX supercross facility in 2014 as well as two multipurpose sports fields and baseball-softball diamonds.

“Our entire complex is located within a planned residential development called Riverwalk that will eventually feature 800 single-family homes and apartments as well as a big-box retailer, commercial properties and light industry,” Taylor says. “We are working to make the Rock Hill Outdoor Center a major sports destination in the region.”

Mooresville in Motion Another community that is focusing much attention on sports and recreation is Mooresville, N.C., which recently opened Mazeppa Road Park with six full-size soccer fields, three regulation softball fields and one baseball diamond. Mazeppa Road Park was constructed to host numerous soccer tournaments and camps throughout the year.

“The Lake Norman Soccer Club has already hosted tournaments, with the largest being a Fall Classic in November 2012 that attracted more than 200 teams,” says Leah Mitcham, executive director with the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

60

charlotte usa

“Mooresville also brings in several baseball and softball tournaments throughout the year, including AAU, Nations Baseball, USSSA, NSA and Top Gun events.”

Mitcham adds that an 18-hole championship disc golf course just opened at Cornelius Road Park and held its first tournament in April 2013, and Mooresville Motorplex opened in late 2012 to provide a go-karting experience around an advanced racetrack.

“The Motorplex accommodates seasoned karters plus offers arrive-and-drive racing for corporate and group events,” she says. “The track is a premier course for all things karting at every level of the sport.”

Mooresville also features a Talbert Recreation Center that welcomed the North Carolina Mens Gymnastics State Championships in March 2013.

“The Center is also ideal for wrestling and martial arts matches, and several boys AAU basketball tournaments are scheduled at Talbert in 2013,” Mitcham says. “Mooresville also has Lake Norman State Park for those who enjoy fishing, boating, mountain biking, hiking, canoeing, swimming and camping. If you really like sports and recreation, be sure to visit us in Mooresville.”

Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Jeff Adkins Discover more about recreation in Charlotte USA at businessclimate.com/charlotte.

Recreational developments

Let Nature Run Its Course Plans move forward to expand Carolina Thread Trail Walkers, joggers and bicyclists can access 113 miles of the Carolina Thread Trail, and there are plans to add 1,347 miles.

Commonly known as The Thread, this network of trails reaches 11 counties in North Carolina and four in South Carolina, and 14 of those counties have completed blueprint master plans detailing where The Thread will eventually expand and weave throughout their communities. The ultimate goal is to link people, places, cities, towns and attractions along 1,460 miles of preserved natural areas.

“Carolina Thread Trail is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Catawba Lands Conservancy. We help individual communities realize the vision to connect trails with their neighbors to eventually link more than 2.3 million people,” says Ann Browning, Carolina Thread Trail project director.

“We provide technical expertise and assist communities to gain funding for this effort through privately raised sources and public grants.”

Browning says 76 local governments are currently involved with The Thread’s planning process to extend existing trails in their individual communities.

A Quality of Life Issue Some of the partial Thread trails now open to the public in the region include the Cloninger Rail-Trail in Lincolnton, N.C.; Highland Rail Trail in Gastonia, N.C.; Bakers Creek Greenway in Kannapolis, N.C.; Broad River Greenway in Shelby, N.C.; and Wylie Walking & Bike Trail in Chester, S.C. A map showing where trails exist is available at carolinathreadtrail.org.

“Right now, there are big gaps sprinkled throughout the region, and one of our main priorities is establishing a 155-mile north-south spine reaching from Statesville, N.C., to Great Falls, S.C. – 33 miles of that spine are already on the ground,” Browning says. “The Thread is a long-term project that has been embraced by all participating communities as a quality of life issue. We’re protecting natural resources, connecting people to nature, and it’s good for economic development because more businesses will want to locate along the trail.”

– Kevin Litwin

Opportunity. Community. Stability.

315 Stallings Rd. • Stallings, NC 28104 (704) 821-8557 • www.stallingsnc.org

CEM Corporation – Global Provider of Innovative Microwave Systems and Solutions for Critical Laboratory Applications

AEP Industries – National Packaging Solutions Provider

Gallery

62

charlotte usa

Relax on the lake Lake Norman, North Carolina’s largest manmade lake and nicknamed the “Inland Sea,” covers more than 32,000 acres. The lake, which includes parts of Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties, is part of Lake Norman State Park and is a popular spot for fishing, boating and swimming.

charlotteusa.com

63

Ad Index

4 Cabarrus Economic Development

2 City of Concord North Carolina 8 Electricities of North Carolina Inc.

22 Carolinas Healthcare System

C4 Catawba County Economic Development Corporation

C2 Gaston County Economic Development Commision

64 Central Piedmont Community College

C3 K&L Gates

17 Centralina Council of Governments

55 Charlotte Douglas International Airport

48 Charlotte Research Institute at UNC Charlotte

10 Chesterfield County Economic Development Alliance

1 City of Albemarle

6 Novant Health

14 PNC Financial Services Group

51 South Piedmont Community College

30 Stanly County Economic Development Commission

56 Time Warner Cable Business Class

61 Town of Stallings

Charlotte 2013-14 edition volume 4

USA

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

director of content | Bill Mcmeekin economic development publishing project manager | emily Mcmackin Contributing writers | Stephanie vozza, bill lewis, heather johnston johnson, sue adkins siens, pamela coyle, cary estes, nan bauroth Content Coordinator | Jessica Walker Boehm Staff Writer | Kevin Litwin Proofreading Manager | Raven Petty lead designer | Matt West Senior Graphic Designers | Stacey Allis, Laura Gallagher, Kris Sexton, Jake Shores, Vikki Williams Graphic Designer | Kacey Passmore Creative Technology Analyst | Becca Ary lead photographer | Jeff Adkins Senior Photographer | Brian McCord Staff Photographers | Michael Conti, wendy jo o’barr, frank Ordonez, michael tedesco color imaging technician | alison hunter Integrated Media Manager | Scott vonCannon Sales Support Project manager | Sara Quint Sales Support Coordinator | Christina Morgan Sales graphic designer | rachel Lorance Ad Production Manager | Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants | Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan Web project manager | David DAy Web Developer I | Nels noseworthy Web Designer II | richard stevens Web Product Manager | John Hood Digital Project Manager | Jill Ridenour Digital Products designer | Erica lampley

visit our advertisers Cabarrus Economic Development www.cabarrusedc.com

City of Concord North Carolina www.concordnc.gov

Carolinas Healthcare System www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org

Electricities of North Carolina Inc. www.electricities.com

Catawba County Economic Development Corporation www.catawbaedc.org

Gaston County Economic Development Commission www.gaston.org

Central Piedmont Community College www.cpcc.edu/clc

K&L Gates www.klgates.com

Centralina Council of Governments www.centralina.org Charlotte Douglas International Airport www.cltairport.com Charlotte Research Institute at UNC Charlotte www.cri.uncc.edu Chesterfield County Economic Development Alliance www.chesterfieldcountysc.org City of Albemarle www.ci.albemarle.nc.us

64

charlotte usa

Novant Health www.novanthealth.org PNC Financial Services Group www.pnc.com South Piedmont Community College www.spcc.edu Stanly County Economic Development Commission www.stanlyedc.org Time Warner Cable Business Class www.twcable.com Town of Stallings www.stallingsnc.org

Chairman | Greg Thurman President/Publisher | Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President | Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales | Todd Potter Senior V.P./Client Development | Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./Operations | Casey Hester V.P./Sales | Jarek Swekosky V.P./Content Operations | Natasha Lorens Audience Development Director | Deanna Nelson Media Technology Director | Christina Carden Distribution Director | Gary Smith Photography Director | Jeffrey S. Otto web services Director | Allison davis Controller | Chris Dudley Senior Accountant | Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator | Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator | Diana Iafrate IT Director | Daniel cantrell Executive Secretary | Kristy Giles Human Resources Manager | Peggy Blake

The Charlotte USA Economic Development Guide is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Charlotte Regional Partnership.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

For more information, contact: Charlotte Regional Partnership 550 South Caldwell St., Ste. 760 Phone: (704) 347-8942 www.charlotteusa.com Visit the Charlotte USA Economic Development online at businessclimate.com/charlotte. ŠCopyright 2013 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Member Member

The Association of Magazine Media Custom Content Council