Council Convenes NC Manufacturers to Address Pain Points and Priorities
On March 3, the NC Chamber hosted its first Manufacturing Council virtual meeting for Cornerstone Members. The Council was formed to tackle timely topics with subject matter experts on industry issues including workforce skill shifts, future talent pipeline, supply chain complexities, and recent trade trends. As members of this influential group, manufacturers across state and sectors can network, share best practices, and provide feedback for the NC Chamber’s advocacy priorities and legislative agenda.
Thank you, and congratulations, to the following NC Chamber Cornerstone Members for being a part of this inaugural council:
| Anheuser Busch | Glen Raven |
| AW North Carolina | Gregory Poole Equipment Company |
| Biogen | Honda Aircraft Company |
| BorgWarner Turbo Systems | Honda Power Equipment Manufacturing |
| Caterpillar | Mallinckrodt |
| Cook Medical | ManpowerGroup |
| Corning | Mark Fleming, LLC |
| Cummins | Merck & Company |
| Denso Manufacturing | Nutrien |
| Domtar | Open Book Extracts |
| Doosan Portable Power | Service Thread |
| Eaton | Shurtape Technologies |
| EGGER Wood Products | Wastequip |
| Enviva Holdings |
Building best business climate for NC’s manufacturers.
During the first meeting, the Council heard from Government Affairs Director Mark Coggins on how the NC Chamber is focused on driving long-term change for North Carolina’s businesses and identifying ways to improve the state’s economic competitiveness. This past legislative session, the NC Chamber served as the leading voice for eliminating the state’s franchise tax. The long-awaited state budget included a franchise tax reduction, but the NC Chamber will continue to advocate for a 100 percent elimination. Mark also addressed the significance of Destination 2030 and how manufacturers drive economic development in North Carolina communities.
Destination 2030 Coalition wins in 2021 included:
- Securing $90 million in new annual state transportation revenue by passing a
measure that guarantees all funds created by the sale of short-term vehicle leases
are directed to the Highway Fund (previously, only about 10 percent of these funds
went to transportation, with the rest going to the General Fund). - Supporting optimal utilization of newly available IIJA funds through persistent
advocacy that helped ensure the creation of roughly $8.7 billion in one-time
funding for important transportation projects.
Connecting and collaborating to solve common goals.
The Council members shared their pain points and priorities with Mark, NC Chamber Senior Member Relations Manager Jake Sipe, and others from the Chamber team. One common issue among the manufacturers was the demand for talent ready to work in an electrified environment; there is a skill shift from mechanical to software and electrical engineering. The manufacturing community also discussed port accessibility, truck weight, gas tax, and why manufacturing must be front of mind for lawmakers and future workers.
The Manufacturing Council is an exclusive opportunity for NC Chamber members to communicate what they need to be successful. We hope that by providing a space for North Carolina’s manufacturers to express their short and long-term goals directly with the NC Chamber and their peers, the state’s vital manufacturing community will have the resources to thrive. The Council will meet again on May 11 to focus on supply chain needs.