Economic Development June Recap

 

MetLife celebrated the grand opening of its World-Class Global Technology Campus in Cary. The technology campus brings together a wide array of technologies in a single hub to help drive digital innovation. Since breaking ground on the campus, MetLife has hired more than 1,000 employees and plans on meeting its goal of hiring 2,600 statewide employees by the end of 2015. Adrienne Cole and Michael Haley were in attendance at the grand opening to support all that MetLife has done and will continue to do for Wake County.

 

Our new segment features submissions from our municipalities. Each month, our municipal partners will be given the opportunity to participate and share events and news in their communities. 

 

Apex

 Skvarla speaks at Wake Up Apex 

John E. Skvarla III, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, was the featured speaker at the "Wake Up Apex" event on June 4. Skvarla addressed issues such as the current legislative debate on JDIG (Jobs Development Investment Grant); his vision for revitalizing government buildings across the state; and a plan to make the NC Zoo in Asheboro a major tourist destination.

 

Apex & Holly Springs Host Business Expo

The Apex and Holly Springs Chambers of Commerce teamed up on June 11 to host a Business Expo. More than 75 businesses from across the growing Southwest Wake region joined together to market new products, services, and technology and to interact with top executives and business decision-makers.  

 

Peak City Pig Fest Held in Apex

The Fourth Annual "Peak City Pig Fest" was held June 20. The festival, which is the only Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event in the Triangle, drew more than 15,000 visitors. Forty-eight professional cook teams from all over the country came to compete against each other for $10,000 in prize money by cooking chicken, ribs, beef brisket, and pork. 

 

Development of Nichols Plaza Continues

Construction continues at the new shopping center site on U.S. 64 West. Nichols Plaza will feature a 155,000-square-foot Costco, the second in Wake County. Multiple outparcels are also planned for restaurants and other retail businesses.

 

Cary 

Plans for Downtown Cary's Development are Underway

Ted Boyd, downtown development manager for the Town of Cary, along with Kyle Greer, vice president of Economic Development, and Cary's governing bodies, have put together a development plan that will keep downtown Cary its charming self, while adapting to the new demand for active and vibrant downtown centers. The goal is to provide an area where Wake County residents and businesses can live, work, and play.  Boyd and Greer invited the staff of Wake County Economic Development on a walking tour of Downtown Cary in order to provide an on-site look at all the town has planned for the downtown area. 

 

The tour included a stop at The Cary, the town's own theatre that provides a unique setting for cinema and live performances. Cary has several ideas for the multi-functional space, including events and meetings. The second stop on the tour was Cary's new accelerator space spearheaded by angel investor David Gardner, who recently closed a $12 million investment round for his new venture. A block down from the accelerator space sits the 7-acre area that will be home to The Downtown Park. The park will feature a Town Square space, a large fountain, outdoor performance space and open lawn areas. The last stop was at Pharmacy Bottle and Beverage, a tap room that serves local beer and is pet friendly. 

 

Knightdale

Permit Issued for First Tenant in Hinton Oaks Business Park 

In May, Knightdale issued the building permit for Architectural Granite and Marble to construct a new 23,397-square-feet warehouse and showroom.  This will be the first tenant in the new Hinton Oaks Business Park. The Business Park owners are also in the process of securing building permits for a 120,000-square-feet shell building.  

 

Wake Forest  

Wake Forest Participates in Fellowship for Education Attainment

Marla Akridge, president of the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, will be participating in 2015/16 Fellowship for Education Attainment. This fellowship is for chamber executives and senior staff engaged in improving the cradle-to-career education pipeline in their communities. Participants will engage in facilitated education and workforce development discussions, have access to best practices, interact with national experts, and build a strong peer-to-peer network.  Throughout the year, they will be supported as they further develop and execute the specific educational attainment objectives in each participant's Regional Action Plan.

 

Rex Healthcare | Raleigh | Healthcare | Expanding 

Rex Healthcare has reached 30 percent of its fundraising goal for the new N.C. Heart & Vascular Hospital coming out of the ground at its main campus in Raleigh. The $220 million project will bring all of Rex's cardiac care to one place. Rex, a subsidiary of UNC Health Care, performed 3,100 cardiovascular procedures in 2012, but provides those services in seven different areas on its campus. In some cases, patients must be wheeled nearly a half-mile across the campus to move through the process of care. Building the new heart tower will not only make things more comfortable to patients, but serve as a draw to cardiac physicians.

 

Triangle Springs | Raleigh | Healthcare | New

Springstone, a national chain of private hospitals that treats mental illness, filed plans to build Triangle Springs, a 43-bed psychiatric facility in Wake County. The proposed project would cost $15.8 million and to be complete in January 2018. It requires state approval through the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

 

Acorn Applications | Raleigh | Software/IT | Expanding

In 2013, Gordon Jones left the world of manufacturing and launched analytics software firm Acorn Applications, a firm that recently closed on a $500,000 equity infusion from a single institutional investor. The cloud-based software helps activate sites. He calls it a workflow platform to help pharmaceuticals and clinical research organizations get things moving quicker. Currently, Jones's team consists of five employees. The cash will fund the hire of another five.

 

Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Crabtree | Raleigh | Hospitality | New 

The new Hilton Garden Inn near Raleigh's Crabtree Valley Mall is now taking reservations and is expected to open in late June. The seven-story, 149-room hotel will include a full-service restaurant, The Garden Grille & Lounge, a 5,720-square foot ballroom, and a fitness center with heated pool.

 

Graybar | Raleigh | Distribution | Expanding 

Graybar, a national distribution and supply chain management company, announced Monday that its Raleigh branch has moved to a larger, updated facility. The company will now occupy a 50,080-square-foot space located at 211 South New Hope Road. The new branch features warehouse space, conference and training rooms, and more convenient access from I-495. Graybar's branch was previously located on Capital Boulevard in a 26,388-square-foot building. The new building is farther from downtown, but adds approximately 20,000 square feet of space for the company, which The company has roughly 40 local employees.

 

Schmalz | Raleigh | Advanced Manufacturing | Expanding 

Schmalz, a German vacuum technology manufacturer, has announced its expansion to a new six-acre campus on Oak Forest Drive. The new facility will allow the firm to grow to 100 employees in the next 10 years. Schmalz creates automation equipment used in manufacturing, such as clamps and suction devices. Its gripping technology can be found in industrial manufacturing in several verticals, including automotive. The growth the firm is experiencing is due to a resurgence of manufacturing. The jobs coming to the company over the next few years will range from engineering to project management to warehouse and sales. The new space, which requires a $7 million investment in its first phase, will allow more room for testing and assembly of automation systems, as well as contain a dedicated customer show room, training rooms, and increased office space.

 

KnowledgeTree | Raleigh | Software/IT | Expanding 

Raleigh-based software outfit KnowledgeTree has moved into the Nehi Bottling Company building in downtown Raleigh. The company has 24 employees, up from the 21 it reported in December, when it announced it had seen top-line revenue double from quarter to quarter in 2014. KnowledgeTree has received nearly $8 million in venture backing from the likes of River Cities Capital Funds, Core Capital Partners, Hasso Plattner Ventures, and Hatteras Funds.

 

Intelligent Office | Raleigh | Shared Office | New

Intelligent Office, the Colorado-based shared office and executive suites company, is expanding into North Carolina with its first location coming to downtown Raleigh. Intelligent Office, l rents executive suite offices to business professionals, entrepreneurs, and consultants who only need a small amount of office space for work. Owner Michael Johnson will have on staff during all business hours at least three administrative assistants who can answer client phones, manage client calendars, and even assist with inputting data for intake forms and expense reports. As the business grows, he says he has space for up to eight assistants.

 

Proto Labs, Inc. | Cary | Advanced Manufacturing | Expanding 

3-D printing company Proto Labs is expanding in Wake County, pledging to create 170 new jobs over the next five years. In return for the $25 million investment, the project receives a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $150,000. "Since the launch of 3-D printing at Proto Labs, we've increased our capabilities here in the U.S. and we've also introduced our additive manufacturing services to Europe," says Rob Connelly, vice president of additive manufacturing. He calls the North Carolina facility a "critical driver" in advancing 3-D printing across the globe.

 

Four Oaks Bank | Apex | Financial Services | Expanding

Four Oaks Bank now has a presence in Apex. The branch, which will serve as a Loan Production Office, held a grand opening on June 24. 

 

Bateman Civil Survey Company | Apex | Engineering | New 

The Bateman Civil Survey Company, a leader in providing surveying, construction, environmental, and engineering consultation services to North Carolina and throughout the East Coast, moved its local offices to Apex. The company employs approximately 40 people.

 

Distil Networks | Raleigh | Software/IT | Expanding

Security software firm Distil Networks has closed a $21 million round of funding and plans to use part of the cash to bulk up its Raleigh operation. It will move into the 107 Fayetteville space, the new entrepreneurial hub, which has the capacity to double their current operations from 12 to 24 employees.

New & Expanding Metrics Since January 2015 

	Jan. --  June 2015
New & Expanding Company Announcements	44
Jobs	1,123
Investment	$390 million