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A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES
Investments, workforce development and transportation improvements are attracting foreign and domestic companies to Johnston County, and growing businesses already there.
Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk made a $4.1 billion commitment in June, when it announced it’s building a 1.4 million-square-foot factory and adding 1,000 jobs in Clayton. The new factory will sit on 56 acres and is about four times the size of its first North Carolina location, which is across the street. The move came hours after Johnston County Commissioners approved an amended package of performance-based economic incentives for the Danish company.
England-based Veetee Foods, which makes shelf-stable food, such as heat-and-eat rice meals, announced an almost $36 million investment at Eastfield Crossing, near the Interstate 95-Future 42 intersection in Selma, in September. Its 200 jobs will have an average annual salary of $58,387, which is more than the county’s average annual salary — $50,605. It was Johnston County’s fourth major industry announcement of the year.
About a dozen foreign-based companies are in Johnston County, where proximity to Research Triangle Park and interstates and highways — combined with a robust local workforce training program — create an increasingly popular destination for international investment.
“We definitely can compete at the global level in a global market,” says Chris Johnson, Johnston County Economic Development director. “Our attractiveness includes the three major universities and being part of the Raleigh MSA. For all intents and purposes, we’re one big region. We’re very proud of the fact that our name is mentioned in other countries.” It’s often mentioned closer to home, too.
Work is underway to bring more companies to Johnston County. Clayton is home to The Biome, a 69-acre biomanufacturing and life-sciences campus, which is being developed by BioRealty to attract top-tier biopharmaceutical companies. Its three state-of-the-art buildings will total 475,200 square feet, all tailored for biomanufacturing, laboratory work and offices. “The Biome is a major opportunity for Clayton to continue attracting leading companies in the biopharmaceutical industry,” says Rich Cappola, Clayton town manager. “This project will bring jobs, innovation and a significant economic boost to our community. It’s another example of how Clayton is positioning itself as a leader in high-growth industries and creating long-term prosperity for our residents.”
Developing workforce
Johnston Community College, which marked a record breaking enrollment figure in August, serves 5,708 degree-seeking students. It’s a major source of workforce development for economic development initiatives, including The Biome. Its BioWork Certificate Program, which bestows a credential that signifies the holder has the needed biotechnology skills to begin work, and connections with regional companies are significant contributors to the local life-science industry. “We feel we have the talent here in our own backyard,” Johnson says. “Like with Novo, when [the expansion becomes] operational in four years, their talent right now is in the ninth grade. If you can show the students that there is an opportunity, and you don’t have to go away somewhere and accumulate student loans, you can come out making serious income.”
Construction is underway on the 67,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in Four Oaks, about 18 miles from Clayton. JCC, Johnston County Economic Development, regional industries and the General Assembly are collaborating on the
$35 million investment, which should open next summer. “Our role in continuing education is to listen to what our industries and adult learners need and to act on them promptly,” says Danielle Kroeger, JCC associate vice president, workforce development and biotechnology. “Knowing that the biopharmaceutical industry in our region is expanding, JCC is adding more BioWork courses in more formats to meet this need. We are currently exploring weekend offerings to allow adults who are seeking a career change to have a buffet of scheduling options that they can choose from to accommodate their schedules.”
Kroeger says efforts to build skilled workforce aren’t limited to after high school. “[Last spring], with the support of the Research Training Zone Board and the partnership with Johnston County Public Schools, JCC was able to deploy the BioWork Certification Program in all eight Johnston County high schools, providing juniors and seniors the opportunity not only to obtain the certification but also to earn college credit toward the biotechnology associate program,” she says.
Students could directly connect with Novo Nordisk and Spanish biotherapeutics company Grifols, which has a 233-acre campus in Clayton, during the course. In fall 2025, public school students enrolled in the five-year Career & Technical Leadership Academy will qualify for JCC’s biotechnology associate degree program. “This is a great opportunity for high school students, regardless of grade level, to start their career path in biopharmaceuticals,” Kroeger says.
Grifols partnered with JCC in 2020 to create JCC’s Workforce Development Center, a 30,000-square-foot training center for life sciences and biotechnology jobs, then it broke ground on a three story 150,000-square-foot $120 million purification and filling plant at its Clayton campus a mile away. “We anticipate the same success in the Advanced Manufacturing Training Center as we’ve seen with the [WDC] in Clayton, which is state of the art,” Johnson says. “A young person can begin in high school then go to work for one of the facilities in the region and come out making $60,000 to $70,000 a year at 18 years old. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Smithfield-based Triangle East Chamber of Commerce helps businesses through advocacy efforts, including workforce-development programs, says Maureen McGuinness, its president and CEO. SizeUp, for example, is an analytics tool that supports small and midsize businesses. “[It] provides crucial information to entrepreneurs looking to start their first business, and it can assist seasoned business owners with expanding
their customer base,” she says.
More than 15,000 students have prepared for the job market with assistance and guidance from educators, businesses and community leaders through JOCO WORKS. The program is a collaborative effort of JCC; public and private schools; Johnston County Economic Development; Triangle East, Clayton and Benson chambers of commerce; and the Triangle East Economic Development Foundation. Its first participants graduated from high school this year. “This program offers hands-on career exploration for eighth-graders, particularly in industries that are essential to the local economy such as manufacturing, healthcare and technology,” McGuinness says. “By connecting students with future employers, JOCO WORKS helps ensure local businesses have access to a pipeline of skilled workers while giving students a head start on their careers.”
Revamping roads
Johnston County’s labor shed is home to about 10,000 people. Johnson says more than half of them cross a county line to work. And whether its Wolfspeed’s John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide in Siler City, Toyota’s electric-vehicle battery plant in Liberty or a multitude of life-science companies to the west, employment options are growing. “So, part of our efforts is to reverse those trends, where individuals having to leave the county for employment opportunities can be here, where we’ve recruited industries, and they can stay near residential communities, where they can live, work and play,” he says. “It’s a two-edged sword. Those big companies need suppliers, and they say, ‘We’re going to locate here, but we need suppliers within an hour’s radius.’ So, we look at that as, whatever widget they’re making there, we can recruit the supplier that feeds that manufacturer. With a mobile society, there are tradeoffs. And as we build our manufacturing base, those people in other counties will drive here. That’s the benefit of a road network system.”
Eastfield Crossing, a 400 acre mixed-use development near Interstate 95 and
U.S. 70 in Selma, is where Crystal Window and Door Systems announced it was parking a $93 million factory in May. The Flushing, New York-based company expects to hire 500 people for positions such as frame assembler, machine operator, warehouse worker, quality engineer and others. The average annual salary for the jobs is $56,000.
While Johnston County offers quick access to the East Coast’s busiest interstate, I-95, an important consideration for any business moving goods and receiving materials, work to strengthen regional connections is underway. Phase 1 of the Complete 540 project opened an 18-mile extension of the Triangle Expressway in September. It connects N.C. 55 Bypass in Apex to the Interstate 40/Interstate 42 interchange in Garner. “The opening of Phase 1 of the Interstate 540 Southern Loop is exciting for Clayton,” Cappola says. “This extension will help alleviate traffic during peak hours for many of our residents and provide them with better access to the larger Triangle area, ensuring that Clayton remains a key player in the regional economy and a desirable place to live.”
Complete 540’s Phase 2, which is expected to open in 2028, will extend the expressway 10 miles to the existing I-540/Interstate 87/U.S. 64/U.S. 264 interchange in Knightdale. Cappola says it address the ever-increasing transportation demands caused by rapid population growth and economic development, which benefits Clayton-area residents by easing traffic congestion.
Johnson says it’s exciting to consider how finishing Complete 540 will bring Johnston County closer to the Triangle. “It gets us to the three universities, downtown Raleigh, [Raleigh-Durham International Airport] and all the amenities,” he says. “The entire county is now 15 minutes closer. The other transformation is U.S. 70 to I-42, and the entire section will go through Johnston County, from Pine Level to Raleigh. We soon will have three interstates dissecting Johnston County.”
Booming population
Johnson moved to Johnston County in 1990, when its population was about 18,000. “Now, it’s over 260,000, and if we [continue to] grow at that rate, it will surpass 300,000 in four years,” he says. “You’re talking half-a-million by 2050.” Smithfield’s population, for example, grew to 12,829 in 2024 from 10,966 in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. And Clayton, whose current population is estimated at 30,621, added 5,000 since 2020. “With that comes pressure for housing, multifamily and single family,” he says. “Our communities have been forthright in wanting to see growth occur in specific municipalities, areas with infrastructure in place, with EMS and schools as opposed to let’s create a subdivision on every acre of land possible.”
Several projects are underway in Clayton. Old Town Hall, which was built in 1925, is becoming The Station, a $1.75 million project that blends office, retail and restaurants, and marketplace space. It’s expected to open later next year. Cappola says downtown residents, local developers Kevin and Carrie Lee, along with business owners Erin Nenni and Christi Thompson, are spearheading the effort. “The renovation of Old Town Hall is more than just a construction project,” he says. “It’s about preserving Clayton’s rich history while creating something truly special for our community. The Station will be a place where our past meets our future.”
A complete renovation of Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, along with upgrades to Clayton parks, are part of the final phase of an $18 million bond project, which voters approved in 2019. The library will gain study rooms, meeting space, upgraded technology and a coffee shop. “It’s about creating a space that serves the diverse needs of our community in the years to come,” Cappola says. “The new design will make the library a centerpiece for learning and connection in Clayton with a modern look and feel that will attract residents of all ages.”
Protecting roots
House-Autry Mills, whose products include breading, batters, hushpuppy mixes, seasonings and gourmet sauces, relocated to Four Oaks in 2001. It expanded production in 2013, adding a gluten-free factory. It acquired Captain Foods in 2019, expanding its portfolio of seasonings and hot sauces.
Frank Pogue, House-Autry’s vice president of marketing and business development, says the company has grown alongside Johnston County. “Since our startup in Four Oaks, we’ve added a number of new products to our lineup,”
he says. “We’ve also grown our footprint. Our products are available across the country, either serving national supermarket chains or supplying a wide range of restaurants. We still stay close to our roots. Our focus continues to be the Southeast, where it all started. Our Four Oaks location gives us great access to these markets, and Johnston County has provided a solid workforce base to hire from.”
Food production has always been at the heart of Johnston County, where U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Census of Agriculture reported 964 farms, 96 of which are family owned, totaling 174,111 acres. “The ingredient market is significantly more global than in the past, so we’re competing with both U.S. and international companies for access,” Pogue says. “But our No. 1 ingredient — wheat — is primarily sourced from right here in Johnston County. The competitive pricing our farmers offer and the close proximity to the plant help us be cost-effective.”
Michael Walden is a distinguished professor emeritus at NC State University with teaching, research and extension roles in consumer economics, economic outlook and public policy. His report — “The Economic Value of the Agriculture and Agribusiness Sector in Johnston County, North Carolina” — analyzes 2022 statistics, the latest available. Agriculture contributed 12,754 jobs, about 14% of total jobs in the county, and brought a value-added of $723 million, 8% of its GDP. “When the agriculture/agribusiness sector expands, there are also significant economic impacts on the broader Johnston County economy,” he writes. “Local suppliers to the sector increase their production and income. Also, a significant part of the increased income from expansion will be spent in local retail stores.”
Looking forward
McGuinness says workforce development, especially for construction and manufacturing, will top Triangle East’s to-do list for the next five years. “Breaking down talent barriers in Johnston County, like access to quality childcare, increasing transportation opportunities and educating the community about the importance of providing a range of income-aligned housing [are other priorities],” she says.
Johnson says making that happen will take local and regional efforts. “We have a strong economic system that comes with collaboration,” he says. “We’re nestled right between a lot of amazing talent and young people who are looking for opportunities. We want to make sure we provide those.”
House-Autry, which was founded more than 200 years ago in Newtown Grove, sees a bright future in Johnston County. “The relocation to Four Oaks provided House-Autry with the opportunity to grow from a regional company to a national presence,” Pogue says. “The workforce, facilities, infrastructure and leadership … helped us grow and expand beyond our beginnings in 1812 and into the future. We don’t share roles and headcount, but our Four Oaks facility is still our national headquarters and the largest of our locations.” ■
— Kathy Blake is a writer from eastern North Carolina.