EXISTING CLUSTERS
Long considered a center of the manufacturing industry, Catawba County and the Hickory Metro have spent years diversifying their industrial base. Just some of the diversified manufacturing sectors that call Catawba County home include machining and metal working, plastics, fiber optic and coaxial cable and furniture. Catawba County led North Carolina’s data center recruitment efforts with a focused approach to targeting data centers through the development and marketing of the NC Data Center Corridor.
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing has a long and rich history in Catawba County. Even today, over 25 percent of Catawba County’s working population is engaged in manufacturing. That’s basically double the national average. There are over 425 manufacturers in Catawba County.
It’s true that the face of the manufacturing sector in Catawba County has seen a lot of change. Though the textile mills that once lined the region’s rivers are gone, in their place are advanced manufacturing facilities producing high value products like automotive components, fiber optic cable, and custom handcrafted furniture.
Catawba Valley Community College's Manufacturing Solutions Center is a non-profit organization located in Conover, North Carolina. The center strives to improve quality and efficiency, develop new products and create/retain jobs. The multi-faceted center offers several different services including standardized testing, product development, training (hosiery, software, industrial, etc), engineering, and many more.
View our Advanced Manufacturing Brochure to learn more about Catawba County's manufacturing specialization.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Two of Catawba County's largest employers also happen to be two of the world's largest producers of fiber optic cables. Supporting these industry giants—CommScope and Corning Optical Communications, along with Prysmian—are a number of smaller suppliers that combine to create one of the most impressive clusters of fiber companies in the world.
DATACENTERS
With such an impressive collection of fiber companies, it should be no surprise that Catawba County and the surrounding area is also home to some of the world's largest and most sophisticated data centers. A targeted recruitment effort started by the Catawba EDC to establish the NC Data Center Corridor has brought jaw-dropping investments by companies like Apple and Bed Bath & Beyond to Catawba County and companies like Google and Facebook to other counties in the Corridor. These companies are able take advantage of the reliable, low-cost energy and abundant water found in the region.
INTERNATIONAL FIRMS
Photo by Eckard Photographic
While not technically an industry cluster, the significant presence of international firms in Catawba County makes it worth highlighting. International firms remain a fitting target for Catawba County and the EDC works closely with representatives in Europe to uncover companies who may be seeking, or could benefit from, a new US location. At last count there were over 30 internationally owned firms in the area, the vast majority of which are engaged in manufacturing. Some of these companies include Klingspor Abrasives (Germany), Punker (Germany), Turbocoating (Italy), Sarstedt (Germany), Technibilt (Germany), ZF (Germany), Smart Electric (Taiwan), GKN (United Kingdom), CertainTeed (France), Prysmian (Italy), Poppelman Plastics (Germany) and Taiji Group USA (China).