BUSINESS PRESENCE
– just across the Catawba River from Charlotte – recently announced the school will offer a new, four-year degree focusing on business and management in motorsports. Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., hosts three major races: the Coca-Cola 600, the Nextel All-Star Challenge and the UAW-GM 500.
PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING CharlotteUSA has built a solid pharmaceutical manufacturing sector that counts 40 companies with about 5,800 workers. Nearly 125 pharmaceutical/medical equipment manufacturing and manufacturing-related companies operate in the region. This relatively small but growing sector draws on innovative and aggressive local research programs in precision metrology, opto electronics
and nanotechnology at the Charlotte Research Institute, a part of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. UNCC’s Office of Technology Transfer has achieved several
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CharlotteUSA is not only a great place to produce our product, but it’s positioned perfectly to deliver it to any destination. Between the major interstates, the hub airport and ports to the north and south distribution is never a business barrier for NGK Ceramics.
– Steve Dailey, general manager, NGK Ceramics
Charlotte Regional Economic Development Guide 2006
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high rankings nationally, including first in start-ups formed, second in invention disclosures received, second in patent applications, third in patents issued and fifth in licenses executed.
PLASTICS Drawing on rail and road distribution advantages as well as its proven manufacturing capabilities, the Charlotte region enjoys a growing plastics industry. More than 280 plastics companies have facilities within CharlotteUSA and they employ about 12,200 workers. Nurturing this segment are relatively low utility rates, reasonable wage expectations, superior distribution capabilities and an enviable quality of life. In cooperation with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Polymers Center for Excellence offers a variety of services to the plastics industry. These include research and development, testing, work force development and process problem solving. The Center’s mission is to help area plastics firms reduce costs, increase productivity, expand market share and shorten time to market. It offers training either at the Center or at the plant site. Larger plastics manufacturers in the Charlotte region include Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Co., Otto Industries, Polar Plastics Inc. and RBX Industries Inc. 23