Energy Jobs Coming to Charlotte

[Andyc545]

When did Verbatim leave? I could swear I remember seeing their sign on Harris Blvd just recently. But I've been driving up and down that road for years so it may just be ingrained into my mind now. I never realized they left.

[monsoon]

The technical and manufacturing operations that I was referring at Verbatum left years ago. They actually had two fairly large facilities. The other building was was behind the one you used to see on Harris, but wasn't visible from Harris. It has long since been abandoned. Not sure what is there now. I believe they did maintain some sort of smaller operation here but it was not the same when they were a big local firm employing a lot of engineers and manufacturing workers.

There was also another local gown company that designed and manufactured business printers. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of it, but I am pretty sure it is also gone now.

[Eastman]

When did Verbatim leave? I could swear I remember seeing their sign on Harris Blvd just recently. But I've been driving up and down that road for years so it may just be ingrained into my mind now. I never realized they left.

[monsoon]

^I I have always been told, the CTC has office space for 15,000 employees plus more for development and things they provide as additional employee services like getting haircuts and your toenails painted. There was once a daycare place for children too that was on the property. Not sure it if is still there or not.

[tiblerbrit]

The TV Channel SPEED is the major tenant in the old Verbatim building that fronts WT Harris.

[Andyc545]

^I I have always been told, the CTC has office space for 15,000 employees plus more for development and things they provide as additional employee services like getting haircuts and your toenails painted. There was once a daycare place for children too that was on the property. Not sure it if is still there or not.

[JayGee]

The technical and manufacturing operations that I was referring at Verbatum left years ago. They actually had two fairly large facilities. The other building was was behind the one you used to see on Harris, but wasn't visible from Harris. It has long since been abandoned. Not sure what is there now. I believe they did maintain some sort of smaller operation here but it was not the same when they were a big local firm employing a lot of engineers and manufacturing workers.

There was also another local gown company that designed and manufactured business printers. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of it, but I am pretty sure it is also gone now.

[SmellyCat]

I think Verbatim had a contract manufacturing facility there for awhile, I don't know if it is still there.

[atlrvr]

In another expansion, the global HQ of EnTech Project Services is moving from Houston to Charlotte (201 S Tryon St.). It's not as impressive as it sounds, as it will be less than 10 people in Charlotte, at least initially. EnTech is a contract engingeering and project management firm that focuses on serves energy sector clients (primarily oil and gas).

While not a big relocation, I find it notable that an energy consulting firm would be relocating to Charlotte FROM Houston.

[AuLukey]

I can't find much online about this other than postings about the move from houston to charlotte. I wonder what their motivation for moving here is. I get the feeling that something is cooking here that still remains to be seen if now smaller energy-related companies are moving here.

[krazeeboi]

While not a big relocation, I find it notable that an energy consulting firm would be relocating to Charlotte FROM Houston.

[monsoon]

........

While not a big relocation, I find it notable that an energy consulting firm would be relocating to Charlotte FROM Houston.

[HopHead]

More interesting company, Proterra, that may open a plant in Mooresville to build hybrid buses which would directly employ 500 people. That is a fairly significant announcement as it will also cause work at the various automobile supply companies, in the area, that are on short time and layoffs due to the demise of Chrysler and GM. I believe they may also be in contact with the Nascar Technology Institute. (or something like that)

[HopHead]

DesignLine USA, a local electric hybrid bus maker, is making buses for the city of Baltimore. They debuted recently there... Something noteworthy is that the company has two federal grant applications with the Dept of Energy that could call for a substantial order of their buses and require for a large expansion at the facility near the CLT airport. Up to 300 workers may be hired, half of them would come on board this year... The CLT airport currently uses a couple of these buses.

[JayGee]

Provided that it survives bankruptcy, General Motors plans to build a small car somewhere in the US. The General has stated that it is investigating three sites to build the yet unnamed vehicle; Janesville, Wisconsin; Orion, Michigan; and Spring Hill Tennessee. GM previously announced that all three facilities would close, though it subsequently said that one location would ultimately reopen.

GM hasn't publicly laid out parameters for picking which plant will produce the new vehicle(s), but the state of Tennessee says that the biggest requirement is money. Governor Phil Bredesen reportedly told The Tennessean that GM has asked for at least $200 million to stay in the game, characterizing talks with the General as "Tell me how big of a check you're going to write." We're not talking tax breaks, either, as Bredesen is quoted in the article as saying:

"They don't care about tax credits and those other kinds of things...it certainly was a new look for me at how they're approaching this thing, which is absolutely, 'Tell me how big of a check you're going to write.'"

GM isn't talking about its specific requirements for the small car plant, saying that the talks are "private discussions." Officials from Michigan and Wisconsin are following suit, but Tennessee is taking a different stance. Bredesen says the state doesn't have the kind of money that GM is asking for, and he told The Tennessean that "this is not a year in which I've got a spare couple of hundred million dollars from the rainy day fund to use for something like this."

[AuLukey]

I know this is OT, but since this seems to be the 'incentives' thread. . . .

. . . . this is pretty arrogant. Knowing states are strapped for money GM is demanding $200M to keep Spring Hill open, as I'm sure they are doing with the other two candidates. I wonder if they are just looking for an excuse to go offshore.

From Autoblog.com

[HopHead]

Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy, put a nice plug into the Wall Street Journal about Charlotte becoming an Energy Hub. He makes mention of some of the new jobs coming over ways in the Energy sector via Toshiba, Siemens, Shaw Group, etc. Can't hurt to put that in the WSJ that's for sure... Jim Rogers in the WSJ

[aceboogie]

In those days, the Charlotte workforce was completely controlled in downtown and it was the Southern thing to do to keep people in low pay positions and benefits that were not comparable to the rest of the USA. Charlotte was not unique in this as much of the South did not want or appreciate outside companies coming in and upsetting the status quo.

So IBM in 1978 announces that it had pretty much bought all the land between Sugar Creek and present day Harris Blvd and I-85 and Mallard Creek Rd and was going to build a large research and development facility and a gigantic manufacturing plant. It was a huge announcement that dominated the Charlotte news for weeks. They said they were going to employ 1000s maybe 10s of thousands at high wages and good benefits. This was like throwing an atomic bomb into the business circles in Charlotte because the competition for workers would cause them to either have to raise wages and benefits or lose out. Aside from direct employees many symbiotic companies also followed in order to supply the factory which was slated to make ATMs, branch banking equipment, check sorters, printed circuit cards for the entire corporation, and most of their non system printers. It created another city at URP that was totally separate and distinct from downtown Charlotte. It was not appreciated by many of the locals.

Much of that is gone now as are many of the other engineering companies that were once in Charlotte. Another one that comes to mind was Verbatum which did develop and manufacture computer disk technology.

[aceboogie]

While we're talking about energy jobs it seems Charlotte is really stepping up efforts to re-invent this place as an energy hub. UNC Charlotte is building the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) and has recently had its staffing budget finalized at $2 million annually. IN Waxhaw efforts are being stepped up to build an energy research park. Also Duke, Areva, Shaw, Westinghouse, and others have joined with the Charlotte Regional Partnership to organize an Energy Hub. Here are some links:

Charlotte as a regional Energy Hub:

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../06/story8.html

UNC Charlotte EPIC center:

http://publicrelations.uncc.edu/default.as...5&objId=567

Waxhaw Energy Research Park:

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stori...24/story19.html

[JayGee]

That is amazing information. Could you imagine how Charlotte would be now if IBM had stayed? Imagine Charlotte as the banking capital and high-tech capital of the south. Charlotte could possible be on Atlanta's size now and truly be its rival. That is sad news and a black-eye to Charlotte politics. I hope Charlotte has learned its lesson.

[atlrvr]

In good news, it seems Areva is still negotiating for additional space at Meridian. They had previously committed to expanding in Charlotte, then hinted that they were considering adding jobs at their Lynchburg, VA HQ instead. Areva stated that they will have additional vendors locate near them as well, wherever they expand.

[HopHead]

It looks like a company by the name of Forsite Development Inc. has revealed plans to build a 50- to 100-megawatt biomass power plant as part of a proposed 667-acre clean-energy park northwest of uptown. The development called ReVenture Park, would sit between Mecklenburg and Gaston counties. Tom McKittrick who presented the idea said that it would create up to 1,000 jobs and $1 billion worth of investment. He's looking for Duke Energy or another utility company to buy the plant's output. He already has talked to Charlotte/Meck Utilities about the possibility of building a $300 million wastewater plant on the site... Sounds like something that may be promising if he can get it going.