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Tourism and commercial fishing are big parts of the area's economic picture, but a number of domestic and international companies call Carteret County home. The Carteret County Economic Development Council, Inc., (252) 222-6120 or (800) 462-4252, and the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce, (252) 726-6350, can provide detailed information about area businesses and industries.

The North Carolina Port at Morehead City is the county's most visible industry. Situated on the east end of Morehead City, the 116-acre main facility is just 4 miles from the open sea. The port includes part of Radio Island, the body of land on the southeast side of the Morehead City–Beaufort high-rise bridge. With a 45-foot-deep entrance channel and equally deep bulk berths, the Morehead terminal can accommodate the biggest ships in the industry. Its turning basin is one of the deepest in any East Coast port. Established in 1945, the Port of Morehead offers a foreign trade zone and direct rail service through Norfolk Southern Corporation. It is one of two state-owned ports; the other is in Wilmington.

North Carolina's ports link the state's citizens, businesses and industry to world markets. From Morehead City, PCS Phosphate (Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan) exports phosphate-based materials throughout the world and utilizes the Intracoastal Waterway to barge these materials to the port from the company's mine in Aurora, North Carolina. Recycled steel for the Nucor mill in Hertford County arrives at the port via ship or ocean-going barge and is transferred to barges for transport up the Intracoastal Waterway to the mill at Tunis. Regional tire manufacturers rely on imports of raw rubber through Morehead City from Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Manufacturers whose rubber passes across the docks at Morehead City include Goodyear, Cooper, Michelin, Bridgestone and Continental. Agribusiness in the region receives fertilizers through the port. Ore used to manufacture fiberglass products is also imported through Morehead City.

Atlantic Veneer Corporation in Beaufort is the world's largest manufacturer of hardwood veneers in North America, with manufacturing facilities on three continents. It exports about half of its products. Atlantic Veneer also operates a local retail outlet, which is an important source of lumber and hardwoods for boat builders and cabinet makers. With approximately 327 area employees, this corporation is the county's largest private employer.

Veneer Technologies has operated a plant in Newport since 1993. It makes three main products: face veneers, flexible-sheet veneers and edge banding. Its products are sold throughout the United States and around the world.

SPX Dehydration & Process Filtration, formerly Hankinson International, is a manufacturer of compressed-air treatment products, which are used in a variety of industries, such as furniture finishing and painting. The company has substantially expanded its plant, which is located in Newport on N.C. 24.

Bally Refrigerated Boxes Inc., located off U.S. 70 in Morehead City, manufactures walk-in refrigerated units, coolers and freezers. Bally specializes in custom cooler units ranging from 6 to 28 feet high. Its freezers are designed to be stacked to create coolers as much as 100 feet high and as long as a football field. Hospitals, restaurant chains, restaurant equipment dealers and refrigeration wholesalers make up most of Bally's customers, and about 30 percent of its business is exported. Recent developments include the addition of mortuary units to the product line and the purchase of the largest lot in the Business Park for future expansion.

Creative Outlet Inc., a family owned-and-operated firm in Morehead City, makes a wide variety of apparel for the healthcare industry — hospital gowns, scrubs, bed sheets, pajamas — that are sold throughout the nation. One of a dwindling number of apparel manufacturers in this textile state that was once home to many, this aggressive small manufacturer is growing to retrieve exported jobs still needed at home. Creative Outlet has retail stores in Morehead, Kinston and Fayetteville.

Carteret County's largest single landowner is a farming company. Of the 90,000 acres of farmland here, 44,000 acres make up Open Grounds Farm, one of the largest farms east of the Mississippi. The Italian-owned farm tills about 35,000 of these acres, producing corn and wheat for the poultry-feed and hog-feed industries, soybeans for instate processing plants and cotton for North Carolina gin mills. The farm, which stretches north from Merrimon Road outside Beaufort to U.S. 70 east near Sea Level, also raises some livestock. You can get a look at the farm by checking in at the main gate on Merrimon Road. Permission to enter is most often granted, although visits are not recommended on Sundays or during busy planting or harvesting times.

Parker Marine Enterprises Inc. specializes in the construction of fiberglass fishing and pleasure boats. The company plant is on N.C. 101 outside Beaufort and recently underwent a significant expansion. Boats are sold through authorized dealers. The company has recently expanded and anticipates further development in the near future.

Another boating enterprise is Jarrett Bay Boatworks Inc., founded in 1986, located in the heart of the 175-acre JBBW Marine Industrial Park six miles north of Beaufort on N.C. Hwy. 101 by land and ICW MM 198 by water. The JBBW Park is a public-private partnership among Jarrett Bay, the town of Beaufort and the Economic Development Council of Carteret County. It is a one-of-a-kind, full-service facility specializing in the building of custom Carolina sport-fishing boats, servicing boats up to 220 tons and brokering new and pre-owned boats. The JBBW Park features on-site marine businesses such as Covington Detroit Diesel, Gregory Poole Caterpillar, Bansch American Towers, Offshore Marine Electronics, ZF Marine and the JBBW Ship Store with dockage and fuel.

Just as fishing is big business in Carteret, fishing gear grows annually as a significant part of its economy. Henry's Tackle, a division of the international Big Rock Sports company, is the 10th largest privately held company in the state. Growing also is Sea Striker, a locally owned and operated manufacturer of fishing tackle.

New employment opportunities arrive with regularity. The stretch westward continues in Morehead City. New chains and businesses move to the area on an almost monthly basis, offering residents a variety of options when seeking employment.

As the natural westward progression into open land continues, Morehead City is working to make its downtown area more attractive. Business and property owners formed the Downtown Morehead City Revitalization Association in the late 1990s to help maintain the vitality of the downtown area. The group's goal is to improve the physical appearance of downtown, beautify Arendell Street, preserve historic buildings and provide better transportation to and around Morehead City. It also helps foster current businesses in the area and helps promote the downtown area as a great place for new business. The DMCRA promotes festivals and special events in pursuit of its goals. It is the sponsor of the annual Blackbeard Festival (see our Annual Events chapter).

To help attract new industry, Carteret County has developed the Crystal Coast Business Park, a 58-acre park located west of Morehead City on U.S. 70. The park is zoned for industrial purposes, including warehousing and distribution facilities. It offers 11 parcels ranging in size from 1.84 acres to 13.78 acres. Morehead City provides the water, sewer and utilities. With proximity to railroad service, the N.C. State Port and U.S. 70, the park promises to be an excellent location for business and light industry.

As with any seasonal community, unemployment rates peak in December and January in Carteret County. The December 2009 unemployment figure was 7.8  percent , a slightly lower rate than the state and national average of 7.9 percent. Carteret's labor force of 33,505 people has 2,613 unemployed. It ranked the 24th lowest in unemployment of the state's 100 counties.

The military continues to be a major factor in the county's economic well-being (see our Military chapter) with 1,685 Carteret County residents, about 30 percent of the civilian workforce, employed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and the Fleet Readiness Center. Carteret County is also home to a number of the active-duty military personnel and their families. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard has a strong presence in Carteret County as it helps monitor the area's waterways and state port.

While continuing to depend on service industry jobs to support its robust tourism industry, the economic base for Carteret County continues to diversify and remain healthy. Wages do not compete with those in metropolitan areas, but compare well when held against the cost of living. Many Insiders find Carteret County and its small-town, laid-back way of doing things to be the ideal place to live, work and play.

The UPS Store
4915 Arendell St., Morehead City
(252) 726-4433

The UPS Store, the world's largest pack-and-ship business service, has a location in Morehead City at 4915 Arendell Street, where it offers all the conveniences you need. Services include packing and shipping, fax sending and receiving, color and black and white photocopying, as well as computer station rental. They now offer notary, laminating and blueprint copy services.