Governor Josh Stein attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Morinaga America Foods, Inc.’s second manufacturing facility outside of Asia on April 21. The $136 million investment in Mebane is expected to create 204 jobs in Orange County.
The event underscores North Carolina’s role as a destination for international companies and its focus on growing the manufacturing sector. The Office of the Governor of North Carolina serves the entire state, according to the official website.
“North Carolina’s competitive edge is its people, and our strong manufacturing workforce continues to attract investment from companies from around the world,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We’re grateful for our deep partnership with Japan and look forward to supporting Morinaga’s ongoing success story in Orange County.”
N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley also commented on the development: “Morinaga’s continued investment in Orange County is a strong endorsement of North Carolina’s manufacturing workforce and our ability to support global companies as they grow in the United States. We’ve built the talent, infrastructure, and partnerships that help companies succeed here, and we’re proud to see that success continue to grow in Mebane.”
The Office of the Governor executes state laws as chief executive and leads the Council of State, according to the official website. Josh Stein has served as North Carolina’s 76th governor, according to information provided by his office.
North Carolina has nearly 500,000 people employed in manufacturing—the largest such workforce in the Southeast—and recently welcomed Siemens Mobility Inc., which will add more than 506 jobs through a new passenger rail center estimated to contribute $1.6 billion over ten years.
Last year, Governor Stein met with Morinaga leadership during an annual joint meeting between Southeast U.S./Japan Association members held in Tokyo. Nearly 250 Japanese companies operate across more than 600 locations statewide; over ten years they have invested almost $20 billion and created more than 10,000 jobs—representing about 45% of announced foreign direct investment.
Earlier this month it was announced that SMBC would establish its second U.S. headquarters in Charlotte with a $50.5 million investment projected to bring another 2,000 jobs over six years.
The Office of the Governor influences state policy through directing budgets and granting pardons while serving as commander-in-chief of the National Guard and appointing executive officials according to its official website.
