North Carolina is Open for Business: Major Companies Bring Jobs and Investment to the Tar Heel State

North Carolina has become one of the most sought-after destinations for corporate investment in America, and the numbers are hard to ignore. From the Research Triangle to the Piedmont and beyond, global companies are planting roots here, bringing with them thousands of jobs, billions in economic activity, and a clear vote of confidence in the state's workforce, infrastructure, and business climate. 

The investment wave is real, it is broad, and it is accelerating. 

Amgen Breaks Ground on a Biomanufacturing Future in Holly Springs 

One of the world's leading biotechnology companies marked a major milestone this week in Wake County. Amgen announced that the final steel topping beam is now in place at its newest advanced manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, part of a more than $1.5 billion investment in the site. The facility will expand U.S. biomanufacturing capabilities and strengthen biopharmaceutical production for patients across the country. 

"This new facility represents an important investment in U.S. biotechnology manufacturing," Amgen noted, adding that it reinforces the company's "long-term commitment to innovation, advanced manufacturing, and serving patients." 

Holly Springs is fast-growing, but Amgen's commitment signals something bigger: North Carolina is competing at the highest levels of the global biotech economy and winning. 

AbbVie Chooses Durham for Its Largest-Ever Campus Investment 

Hot on the heels of Amgen's news, global biopharmaceutical giant AbbVie announced in April that it is building a brand-new 185-acre manufacturing campus in Durham. The $1.4 billion investment is the largest single-campus investment in AbbVie's history and will create 734 jobs focused on producing medicines in immunology, neuroscience, and oncology. Construction begins this year, with completion expected by end of 2028. 

"When you combine our world-renowned research and innovation with a strong, thriving life sciences hub, North Carolina quickly becomes the premier location for biopharmaceutical companies to do business," said Governor Josh Stein. 

AbbVie's decision is also part of the company's broader $100 billion commitment to U.S. research, development, and manufacturing over the next decade. North Carolina did not just make the list; it landed the flagship. 

Siemens Cuts the Ribbon on Rail Manufacturing in Davidson County 

The investment story in North Carolina is not just about life sciences. In April, Governor Stein joined Siemens Mobility at the ribbon-cutting for its new passenger rail manufacturing center in Lexington. The $220 million facility will create 506 jobs in Davidson County and is projected to generate nearly $1.6 billion in economic impact over the next decade. 

"Siemens Mobility's new facility will create more than 500 good-paying jobs in Davidson County and strengthen our state's economy by nearly $1.6 billion over the next decade," said Governor Stein. "This investment strengthens our leadership in shaping the future of passenger rail in America." 

Meanwhile, Siemens Energy separately announced a $421 million expansion across its North Carolina operations in Charlotte and Raleigh, adding another 500 jobs statewide. The company is scaling up production of large power transformers and energy infrastructure equipment to meet surging national demand. 

"The equipment we produce in North Carolina is helping meet our nation's unprecedented growth in energy," said Matt Neal, Siemens Energy's President of North America. "We are building on a strong, decades-long foundation in the state." 

What This Means for North Carolina 

These investments do not happen by accident. North Carolina has built a winning combination of a highly educated workforce, a world-class university system, competitive tax policy, and a quality of life that helps companies recruit from across the country. It is a formula that is working. 

For Western North Carolina and the Blue Ridge region, the statewide momentum carries real promise. As the broader economy grows, so does demand for suppliers, services, and skilled workers throughout the state. The prosperity being built from Charlotte to Durham to Holly Springs creates ripples that reach every corner of North Carolina. 

The bottom line: the world's leading companies across life sciences, energy, and transportation are choosing North Carolina. That is not a coincidence. That is a track record.