Governor Josh Stein attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Morinaga America Foods, Inc.’s new manufacturing facility in Mebane on Apr. 21. The $136 million investment by the HI-CHEW candy maker is expected to create 204 jobs in Orange County.
The expansion reflects ongoing growth in North Carolina’s manufacturing sector and signals confidence from international companies investing in the state. According to the official website, the Office of the Governor of North Carolina serves the entire state and executes state laws as chief executive, while also leading the Council of State and influencing policy through budget direction and pardons according to the official website.
“North Carolina’s competitive edge is its people, and our strong manufacturing workforce continues to attract investment from companies from around the world,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We’re grateful for our deep partnership with Japan and look forward to supporting Morinaga’s ongoing success story in Orange County.”
N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said, “Morinaga’s continued investment in Orange County is a strong endorsement of North Carolina’s manufacturing workforce and our ability to support global companies as they grow in the United States. We’ve built the talent, infrastructure, and partnerships that help companies succeed here, and we’re proud to see that success continue to grow in Mebane.”
North Carolina has nearly 500,000 people employed in manufacturing—the largest such workforce in the Southeast. Earlier this month, Governor Stein joined Siemens Mobility Inc. for a ribbon-cutting at its new passenger rail center expected to create more than 506 jobs and add $1.6 billion to Davidson County’s economy over ten years.
Stein met with Morinaga leadership last year during a visit to Tokyo for an annual joint meeting between Southeast U.S./Japan Association members. Nearly 250 Japanese companies operate across more than 600 locations statewide, employing over 36,000 people; Japanese investments have totaled nearly $20 billion over ten years according to the official website. Earlier this month SMBC announced it would establish its second U.S. headquarters in Charlotte—bringing $50.5 million investment and up to 2,000 jobs over six years.
Since taking office last year as North Carolina’s 76th governor according to official records, Stein has announced more than $27 billion dollars’ worth of new investments resulting in almost 41,000 new jobs statewide.
