It’s an understatement to say that manufacturing is a vital part of the North Carolina economy. North Carolina manufacturers produced $92.54 worth of goods in 2021, accounting for 17.2 percent of the state’s total economic output. As of April 2022, North Carolina had 471,500 active workers in manufacturing, making it one of the top employers in the state. Average annual wages for manufacturing workers in North Carolina totaled $74,227 in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Major North Carolina manufacturing industries include advanced manufacturing, aerospace, aviation, defense, automotive, life sciences, software and information technology as well as textiles.

North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership and North Carolina State University Industry Extension Services Director Phil Mintz will be among the panelists for Business North Carolina’s upcoming Manufacturing Roundtable on Tuesday, June 28th, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. The NC Business Manufacturing Roundtable was first started in 2017 as a way for industry experts to talk about the issues concerning North Carolina businesses. 

Roundtable Topics Will Include:

• The state of manufacturing in North Carolina
• How have traditional manufacturing companies adapted to changes in the industry
• What is the state doing to recruit manufacturers to North Carolina
• How has workforce training changed for manufacturers, community colleges and universities
• What skills are needed to compete on the global stage
• What new industries are growing in or relocating to North Carolina
• What challenges does the state face in recruiting manufacturers to North Carolina

Panelists:

• Moderator: Phil Mintz, Executive Director, NC State Industry Extension Services, Director, North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership

• Geoff Foster, CEO/President, Core Technology Molding Corp.
• Jerry Pedley, President, Mertek Solutions

Stay tuned, we will upload a link to the roundtable discussion as soon as it is available! Edited excerpts of the conversation will be published in the August 2022 issue of Business North Carolina magazine as a sponsored section (and video featured digitally on various platforms).