Industry Sector Resources



The N.C. Department of Commerce provides profiles of key industry sectors in the state, which can be found here.

Advanced Manufacturing

  • N.C. State University's Industrial Extension Service. N.C. State's IES supports North Carolina business in the workplace - in the office, on the factory floor or in the hospital. IES helps companies stay abreast of the latest technologies and best practices in both engineering and business management. The agency's aim is to help increase productivity, efficiency, quality, and, as a result, profits. The IES toolbox includes lean enterprise and quality initiatives such as ISO management systems and Six Sigma, and environmental, safety and health management.

Automotive, Truck & Heavy Equipment

Aerospace & Aviation

Agriculture

Biotechnology/Life Sciences

  • BioNetwork BioBusiness Center The BioBusiness Center supports the development of life science businesses, with particular emphasis on traditional biotechnology, natural products and biofuels, through training, counseling, and resource information.
  • Commerce's Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical and Life Science Industry Brochure
  • Council for Entrepreneurial Development's Biotech Forum
  • N.C. Biotechnology Center
  • N.C. Central University's BRITE program. NCCU's Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise is the state's only formal biotechnology degree program.
  • N.C. Community College System's BioNetwork, a statewide initiative that connects community colleges across North Carolina, providing specialized training, curricula and equipment, to develop a world-class workforce for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. All Community Colleges serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector are part of BioNetwork
  • N.C. State University's Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC).
  • UNC-Pembroke's Biotechnology Business & Training Center seeks to stimulate the transformation of knowledge through coordinated efforts into increased economic well-being of Southeast North Carolina. The center works with academic, business and local government entities to develop innovative training and research opportunities.
  • UNC-Wilmington's Center for Marine Science has a marine biotechnology program, MARBIONC, which provides the infrastructure and support necessary to bring new marine biotechnology products to the marketplace.

Boating

Film

  • The North Carolina Film Office, in the N.C. Department of Commerce's Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, supports the state's growing film industry, providing information about incentives, locations and other industry issues.

Green Business/Energy

  • DSIRE is an ongoing project of the NC Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
  • Biofuels Center of North Carolina. This new center seeks to build a statewide biofuels industry that will reduce North Carolina's reliance on liquid fuel.
  • The N.C. State Energy Office. The State Energy Office is North Carolina's lead agency for energy programs and services and is the official source for energy information and assistance for consumers, businesses, government agencies, community colleges and schools and the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.
  • The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance. This agency seeks to protect the environment and conserve natural resources by providing technical assistance on the elimination, reduction, reuse and recycling of wastes and pollutants.
  • The N.C. Green Business Fund. This program awards funds to North Carolina small for-profit and non-profit businesses, and State and local governmental entities, to encourage the development and commercialization of promising green technologies. The Commerce Department's Office of Science and Technology administers the program.
  • Sustainable Tourism Resources.

Information Communications/Technology

Military

Textiles

  • N.C. State’s College of Textiles
  • N.C. State's Textile and Apparel Resource Guide
  • Textile Connect, a joint project with N.C. State University's College of Textiles and the N.C. Department of Commerce, this Web site provides extensive information about the state's textile industry.
  • [TC]2, a not-for-profit member organization in Research Triangle Park, serves the global apparel, soft goods, and sewn products industries with research and consulting products and services focused on technology development and supply chain improvement.

Tourism

"It is the new and different that is always
most vulnerable to market research"

Malcolm Gladwell
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking