Advanced Manufacturing

Precision production, lower cost basis, trained-to-spec workforce.

Mechatronics, precision components, plastics and composites. Onslow County pairs shovel-ready industrial acreage with customized training delivered at no cost to the employer.

2.0%

NC corporate income tax (2026) — lowest of any state that levies one

$46,885

Countywide average annual pay — manufacturing pays above it (BLS QCEW, 2024)

5,000+

Service members transition to civilian careers here each year

Why this industry works here

Right-to-work state

North Carolina is a right-to-work state with one of the lowest unionization rates in the country.

Machinery and equipment tax exemption

NC exempts manufacturing machinery and equipment from sales tax, lowering your capital outlay at startup.

Industrial acreage that is already vetted

Camp Davis III and Jacksonville Business Park offer vetted industrial acreage with public water and sewer and Duke Energy power.

Talent and training

Customized training through Coastal Carolina Community College at no cost to the employer
5,000+ service members transition out of Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River annually — many with technical and maintenance MOSs
NCWorks recruitment, screening, and on-the-job training reimbursement

Sites that fit this industry

Jacksonville Business Park (Phases II & III)

View available sites

Regional Strength

Onslow County sits inside one of the strongest advanced manufacturing regions in the Southeast.

#1 in the U.S. for metalworking skills credentials
14,600+ people employed in metalworking across the region
3,500+ structural and metal fabricators
500+ welding and machining graduates each year

Source: North Carolina's Southeast (20-county region including Onslow County).

Considering Onslow County for an advanced manufacturing project?

We will pull the site, utility, wage, and incentive detail your team needs — confidentially, and at no cost.

Let's talk