Nipro Medical Corporation, a leader in the global health care and medical device industry, has selected Pitt County for its first North American manufacturing center of excellence, creating 232 jobs, Gov. Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $397.8 million to build a campus and U.S. headquarters in Greenville.
“I’m excited to welcome another advanced manufacturing company to eastern North Carolina,” Cooper said in his announcement. "Not only will Nipro join a Greenville community of health care leaders, it will grow eastern North Carolina’s life sciences prowess with the help of the skilled, dedicated and diverse workforce they need to succeed."
Founded in Japan, Nipro stands as a Tier 1 manufacturer renowned for its high-quality medical devices and health care solutions, the announcement said. The facility in Pitt County marks Nipro's first venture into producing advanced medical devices directly in the U.S. market and highlights the company’s commitment to innovation, growth, and environmental sustainability.
The North Carolina facility is set to produce state-of-the-art medical devices that support patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and other renal health issues, reflecting Nipro's commitment to enhancing the quality of patient care through innovative medical technologies, the announcement said.
The campus in Greenville, located north of town off of Old Creek Road near U.S. 264 Bypass, will host a medical training center for health care providers, customer service center, and increase the company’s global capacity to continue expanding its footprint and offering high-end medical devices in a 550,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility for the North American market.
“We are thrilled to start manufacturing our cutting-edge medical devices in the U.S., which will support local health care professionals and patients with a stable supply chain and reduced transportation costs," said Tsuyoshi Yamazaki, senior managing director of global business at Nipro. “Our close proximity to customers will allow us to better respond to their needs and provide them with timely and effective solutions. Our new facility in Greenville is a major milestone in our sustainability journey, reflecting our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.”
“This new facility marks a major milestone in Nipro's commitment to the U.S. market, allowing us to deliver high-quality medical devices that enhance patient outcomes and quality of life across the country,” said Akira Shimizu, CEO of Nipro Medical Corporation.
“Japan is the largest foreign investor in our state and announcements like this only strengthen our partnership,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “With the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeastern United States and a strategic plan that focuses on talent, we are committed to supporting the training and development systems needed to ensure we have the skilled workforce that global innovators like Nipro depend on.”
The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the state’s support for the company during its site evaluation and decision-making process.
New positions being created by the company will range from engineers and production workers to administrative and management roles. Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $56,147, which exceeds the current average wage in Pitt County of $50,937. These new jobs could create a potential payroll impact of more than $13 million for the region each year.
Nipro’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $797 million.
Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs and the capital investment, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $2,484,000, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.
The project's projected return on investment of public dollars is 160 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $2.60 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.
“We welcome Nipro to Greenville and look forward to the economic prosperity it will bring,” said N.C. Sen. Kandie D. Smith. “Pitt County is a thriving business region, and the jobs and investment the project promises will continue to benefit not only our county but the entire state of North Carolina.”
“This is another major announcement for Pitt County and the entire state,” said N.C. Rep. Gloristine Brown. “Our community continues to be a beacon for thriving, innovative companies that need stellar healthcare, manufacturing and STEM talent to execute their growth strategies.”
North Carolina has focused on recruiting Japanese business, and Japan now ranks as the number one source of foreign direct investment (FDI) to the state. In April, Governor Cooper welcome Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on an official state visit to North Carolina to deepen our economic ties. Governor Cooper led a state delegation to Tokyo in October 2023 for the annual Southeastern United States/Japan (SEUS/Japan) Economic Development Conference, and Charlotte will host the same summit this October.
Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality, North Carolina Department of Transportation, East Carolina University, North Carolina Community College System, Pitt Community College, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Pitt County, Pitt County Economic Development, Greenville Eastern North Carolina Alliance, Greenville Utilities Commission, and the City of Greenville.
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State and local officials will gather in Greenville today to announce a company plans to build a facility north of town, making a $400 million investment that will add 232 jobs.
The announcement is set for property at U.S. 264 Bypass and Old Creek Road, where officials have pitched air-conditioned tents for the event.
Project Bluefin has been in the works. The Pitt County Board of Commissioners on June 17 approved a request from Pitt County Economic Development to provide an incentive to the life-sciences company in addition to the sale of the property, 130 acres owned by the county.
County staff distributed a memorandum on July 5 to commissioners to save today's date for the Bluefin announcement.
The incentive approved last month gives the company 70 percent of the net increase in ad valorem taxes it pays for a seven-year period for the two-phase project, with a cap set at $9 million over the life of the project.
County Economic Developer Kelly Andrews told the board the incentive is contingent on the company investing $400 million in real and personal property during the two phases and creating 232 jobs with an average salary above the county current median average wage of $50,937.
Commissioner Mary Perkins Williams asked if the jobs would be blue-collar.
“This is life sciences, there will be all kinds of jobs. There will be administration, there will be engineers but certainly the majority will be high-skilled, blue-collar jobs,” Andrews said.
The commissioners unanimously approved the request, with a modification giving board chairman Mark Smith the authority to execute any documents in relation to the project.
Officials have not disclosed details about the company.
WRAL on Wednesday said the Japanese medical device maker Nipro Corp. has been the subject the incentives discussions with state and local officials, citing people familiar with the company's plans.
It reported officials with the North Carolina Department of Commerce scheduled a special meeting for today at which the department’s Economic Investment Committee is expected to discuss one or more economic development projects.
The event follows one in April when officials joined Boviet Solar to announce the company is bringing 900 jobs and a $300 investment in a facility in nearby Indigreen Corporate Park.
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