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Beaufort County Economy
Location
Beaufort County, North Carolina is situated only 1.5 hours east of Raleigh, NC and 30 minutes from Greenville and is a part of the Greenville-Washington Combined Statistical Area (GWCSA). As part of Foreign Trade Zone #214 (FTZ #214 SENC), Beaufort County offers individuals and businesses the opportunity to import foreign goods into a duty-free zone. People move to Beaufort County from all around the country for the waterfront living, agreeable climate, lack of bumper-to-bumper traffic, a diverse economy, good schools, and our southern hospitality!
Workforce & Industries
Combined as the GWSCA, Beaufort and Pitt Counties have a population of over 220,000 and a workforce of over 107,000. The GWSCA workforce is talented, available, trainable, and growing with a pipeline of labor coming from the GWSCA's high schools, community colleges, university, and retrained workers. Over 150 manufacturing establishments call the GWCSA home, employing over 8,500 people. These manufacturers produce a multitude of products such as air filters, boats, electric motors, lift trucks, pharmaceuticals, plastic parts, metal fabrications, retail store fixtures, and truck bodies.
Business Climate
North Carolina is Number 2 on Forbes' list of best states for business and careers. Beaufort County is home to a wide variety of companies, such as:
- AAF Flanders
- Carver Machine Works
- Iconic Marine Group
- idX Impressions
- InterMarket Technology
- ITW Medical Inc.
- National Spinning Co.
- Nutrien
- Oakridge Industries
- Pamlico Yachtworks
- PAS USA Inc.
- Sesame Technologies
- VT Hackney
There are a number of reasons why a wide variety of companies have located their business in Beaufort County including:
- Competitive tax rates
- Solid business climate
- Highly capable workforce (17% of the private workforce is engaged in manufacturing)
- Three airports located between 30 to 120 minutes from Beaufort County providing daily flights via major air carriers
- Major deep-water ports within 90 minutes of Beaufort County
- Access to rail and the new Carolina Connector Intermodal Rail Terminal
- Positioned in FTZ #214