The Good News Report

[15895]

Madrona Specialty Foods is going to open an "East Coast Hub" in Charlotte. Hire 30 employees immediately and 50 more in the next 3 to 5 years.

Madrona expects to have the facility in operation by August. It will hire 30 production and warehouse workers immediately and plans to hire 50 additional employees during the next three to five years.

Read more: Madrona Specialty Foods to open East Coast hub in Charlotte {sodEmoji.|} Charlotte Business Journal

The company selected Charlotte for the operation after narrowing its search to four cities — the others were Atlanta, Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.

“We chose Charlotte because of its business-friendly climate, reputation and easy airport access to our other locations in Seattle and Jamaica,” Paul Pigott, president and owner of Madrona, says in a statement.

Read more: Madrona Specialty Foods to open East Coast hub in Charlotte {sodEmoji.|} Charlotte Business Journal

[Stonewall]

The News and Observer of Raleigh is moving 25 jobs to Charlotte to consolidate operations.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/business/no-to-shift-newsroom-production-work-to-charlotte

[15895]

The News and Observer of Raleigh is moving 25 jobs to Charlotte to consolidate operations.

http://blogs.newsobs...rk-to-charlotte

Seriously? Well if that isn't a slap in the face to Raleigh

It's a shame that no net NC jobs were gained and that this is just a transfer of jobs instead of new jobs for the unemployed here. At least there will be a larger tax payer base. Hate that it comes at the expense of another NC city, but, I'll take what we can get.

Edited June 7, 2011 by AirNostrumMAD

[Urbanity]

The News and Observer of Raleigh is moving 25 jobs to Charlotte to consolidate operations.

http://blogs.newsobs...rk-to-charlotte

I' kind of have mixed feelings about this.

• The positive is that I would like Charlotte to continue to grow its media/publishing field and am happy for any movement in that direction.
• The negative is that this move is less about Charlotte's gain so much as the losses going on at McClatchy. I also hate that this comes at the expense of another NC city

[HopHead]

The News and Observer of Raleigh is moving 25 jobs to Charlotte to consolidate operations.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/business/no-to-shift-newsroom-production-work-to-charlotte

Not sure I'd put this in the Good News Report... Maybe more like Ho-Hum Report. It's a shame for the Raleigh folks. I'm sure this will not improve the quality of work for their newspaper at all. Newspapers are dying a slow death. And it's a shame too. One my favorite things is grabbing a cup a coffee and reading the Sunday paper, not online or on an iPad. Just the paper.

[Skyybutter]

Not sure I'd put this in the Good News Report... Maybe more like Ho-Hum Report. It's a shame for the Raleigh folks. I'm sure this will not improve the quality of work for their newspaper at all. Newspapers are dying a slow death. And it's a shame too. One my favorite things is grabbing a cup a coffee and reading the Sunday paper, not online or on an iPad. Just the paper.

Agreeg. Something about actually holdong the paper in my hand. I really don't get why jobs for a newspaper in a city 2 hours away would be coming to Charlotte. Oh well. I wonder how many will transfer to Charlotte to keep their jobs.

[28202]

Maybe with the extra workers they can put out a paper with a whole front page that does not require one to discard it before reading the rest of the paper...

[Urbanity]

Disney is building a data center on 26 acres of land in Kings Mountain. An estimatated $200 million investment.

As the CBJ article mentions the area around Charlotte has attracted some of the country's largest data center's in the last four years: Apple, Google, Facebook, Winpro and now Disney!

Edited June 8, 2011 by Urbanity

[Niner National]

I'm not surprised we've attracted a lot of data centers. Electricity in NC is dirt cheap.

[CLTin93]

Gorman resigned, is "The Good News Report" appropriate for this post?

[caterpillar2]

Gorman resigned, is "The Good News Report" appropriate for this post?

No it isn't.

[atlrvr]

Freightliner/Daimler Trucks are adding a lot of jobs. They are adding almost 600 jobs (mostly a 2nd shift for manufacturing, but also some admin) to their Mt Holly plant. They are also adding 120 jobs in Gastonia, and 10 jobs in Cleveland, NC. They have hired hundreds in Cleveland, NC already this year to add capaicty. So while they aren't "sexy" jobs, Daimler Trucks will have hired over 1,000 people in the Charlotte area before the end of the 3Q this year.

Also, I'll let others speculate wildly, but a building permit has been applied for with the description "Project Zebra". The permit is for the land adjacent to TIme Warner Cable's existing corporate offices off of Arrowood Rd. No other details, but sounds intruiging.

[Niner National]

Freightliner/Daimler Trucks are adding a lot of jobs. They are adding almost 600 jobs (mostly a 2nd shift for manufacturing, but also some admin) to their Mt Holly plant. They are also adding 120 jobs in Gastonia, and 10 jobs in Cleveland, NC. They have hired hundreds in Cleveland, NC already this year to add capaicty. So while they aren't "sexy" jobs, Daimler Trucks will have hired over 1,000 people in the Charlotte area before the end of the 3Q this year.

Also, I'll let others speculate wildly, but a building permit has been applied for with the description "Project Zebra". The permit is for the land adjacent to TIme Warner Cable's existing corporate offices off of Arrowood Rd. No other details, but sounds intruiging.

Good to hear. This area (and this country) needs more jobs that aren't sexy.

[HopHead]

Charlotte-based Compass Group will add 200 jobs locally. These will be IT, Financial, Legal, HR, Clerical and Biz-development type jobs. Average pay is $52,500. The company currently has over 1,000 jobs in the area.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2011/06/20/compass-group-to-add-200-jobs-here.html

Edited June 20, 2011 by dbull75

[cltbwimob]

Since April 20 there have been over 3,000 jobs announcements in the area.

[cltbwimob]

A couple of smaller announcements:

Messer Construction will be hiring up to 50 workers in Charlotte.

Niagra Bottling company will open a plant in Mooresville and hire 66 people.

Jetion Solar, a Chinese solar cell manufacturer will open it's US HQ and an assembly plant in Charlotte with 50 new employees expected by year's end.

Plastics manufacturer Centrex will open a facility in York County and hire 65.

[Urbanity]

Jetion Solar, a Chinese solar cell manufacturer will open it's US HQ and an assembly plant in Charlotte with 50 new employees expected by year's end.

Of all the above announcements you listed - this is the most exciting to me. It both boosts our energy sector/economy recognition far beyond the 50 jobs and IMHO, it paves the way for ENN Group. Now I don't know nothin' but me thinks (and hears) some buzz regarding them lately. I wouldn't be surprised to hear something within the next 6-12 months if something is to happen.

[15895]

Of all the above announcements you listed - this is the most exciting to me. It both boosts our energy sector/economy recognition far beyond the 50 jobs and IMHO, it paves the way for ENN Group. Now I don't know nothin' but me thinks (and hears) some buzz regarding them lately. I wouldn't be surprised to hear something within the next 6-12 months if something is to happen.

I know Rogers said back in 2010 that he was "working hard" to get one of their Chinese partners (ENN) to establish a HQ in Charlotte.I haven't heard anything else since except about the projects they're working on together and I believe ENN and Duke just got an award from Washington DC for their efforts on somethin-or-nother.

Where did you hear the "buzz" from? Public information or little birdies in your ears?

[Niner National]

Of all the above announcements you listed - this is the most exciting to me. It both boosts our energy sector/economy recognition far beyond the 50 jobs and IMHO, it paves the way for ENN Group. Now I don't know nothin' but me thinks (and hears) some buzz regarding them lately. I wouldn't be surprised to hear something within the next 6-12 months if something is to happen.

I work for a major solar installer on the East Coast, yet I had never heard of ENN until I read of them on forum. They seem to be reasonably large in China, but their manufacturing capacity is pretty small compared to major industry players like SunTech, Sharp, SunPower, First Solar, BP, Chevron, and a host of other electronics, automobile, and petroleum companies that have made the move into solar panel production.

Any jobs added to Charlotte is a good thing, but ENN really isn't that big of a deal in making Charlotte a 'clean energy hub.'

[cltbwimob]

Of all the above announcements you listed - this is the most exciting to me. It both boosts our energy sector/economy recognition far beyond the 50 jobs and IMHO, it paves the way for ENN Group. Now I don't know nothin' but me thinks (and hears) some buzz regarding them lately. I wouldn't be surprised to hear something within the next 6-12 months if something is to happen.

I agree that it's the most exiting announcement I listed. It speaks to Charlotte's ability to attract small energy related businesses, just as Duke and Siemens speak to the city's ability to attract/retain major corporations. If you read the print edition of the bizjournal, it states that while the plant is just an assembly plant and not a manufacturing plant for solar cells, the company wants to put a solar cell manufacturing plant here in a few years.

As for an ENN HQ, it's Chinese HQ (Lanfang, I think) city has entered a strategic partnership agreement with the city of Charlotte because of the Duke/ENN partnership. I am hoping that this will soon mean a Charlotte HQ announcement.

Edited June 27, 2011 by cltbwimob

[Urbanity]

I work for a major solar installer on the East Coast, yet I had never heard of ENN until I read of them on forum. They seem to be reasonably large in China, but their manufacturing capacity is pretty small compared to major industry players like SunTech, Sharp, SunPower, First Solar, BP, Chevron, and a host of other electronics, automobile, and petroleum companies that have made the move into solar panel production.

Any jobs added to Charlotte is a good thing, but ENN really isn't that big of a deal in making Charlotte a 'clean energy hub.'

I get your point about the size of their operations but I disagree with the take that it isn't that big of a deal. If we are going to continue to grow the energy sector here it is vital that we do so with additional international companies . U/S HQs of those companies particularly add the momentum.

Where did you hear the "buzz" from? Public information or little birdies in your ears?

Edited June 28, 2011 by Urbanity

[cltbwimob]

This is not necessarily good news for Charlotte just yet, but depending on where the plant is built, it could be.

http://www.bizjourna...ower-plant.html

Looks like the Charlotte Metro got it. Another green energy company investing in the region with 300 jobs. Congratulations to Anson County.

http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/643349/green-energy-company-set-to-employ-more-than-300-workers

[kermit]

Looks like the Charlotte Metro got it. Another green energy company investing in the region with 300 jobs. Congratulations to Anson County.

http://charlotte.new...han-300-workers

Thanks for the post (seriously).

Less seriously when I see the phrase:

which combines a hydroponic greenhouse with a....

I have to chuckle

[kermit]

The Chamber has sent invitations for a jobs announcement by the state on Monday morning at 7800 Crescent Executive drive. I believe that is Time Warner's address...

[15895]

The Chamber has sent invitations for a jobs announcement by the state on Monday morning at 7800 Crescent Executive drive. I believe that is Time Warner's address...

If I'm not mistaken, I believe someone on here mentioned to keep our ears open about a possible announcement a month or so ago involving the area around Arrowood. I been looking around for where I seen that on here. Maybe I'm wrong but I could swear I remember reading something about keeping our eyes peeled for an announcement concerning Arrowood.