The Lincoln times., 1955-09-22
Textile Growth In North Carolina

Berkshire Knitting Mills at An
Grews; American Thread Company
at Sewer: Carolina Mills at New
ton and Maiden; HaneS Hosiery
Mills at Winston-Salem: Johnston
Manufacturing Company at Char
lotte; Stonecutter Mills at SPIN
dale; Adams-Millis Corporation at
High Point; American and Efird
Mills at Maiden; CranSton Print
Works at Fletcher; Sidney Blu
menthal Company at Rocky
Mount and Wilson: Harriet Hen
derson Mills at Henderson. and
Siler City Mfg. Co., at Siler City.
While textiles continues to be
one of the main bulwarkS of the
North Carolina economy. it is a
matter of record that substantial
progress is being made in the di-
verSification of industry.
MANY NEW INDUSTRIES
For example, during the 1952-54
biennium, $40 new industrial
plants were established in the
State, with investments totalling
approximately Sl01 100000. These
plants are creating $4,000 new
jobs and additional payrolls to
exceed S66,000,000. In the same
period. 173 plants expanded their
operations by investing S68,000,000
and creating 5000 new jobs with
S23,000,000 in new payrolls. New
plants and plant expansions to-
tailed 513 projects. with $169000.-
900 being invested in manufacture
ing facilities. A total of 35, 1000 new
employees will be required to man
the new jobs. New payrolls will
amount to $4,000. 900 annually.
These figures, taken from the
biennial report of the North Caro-
lima Department of Conservation
ard Development to the Governor
by Department Director Ben E.
Douglas, show that by industrial
classification, new textile plants
led all others with around $16.-
100000. Following closely were
electrical products with more than
SIS, 5,000,00G and apparel with
rore than $11,000.000.
Is has been said that North
Carolina is distinctly different
from other states in that it has
only one organization devoted
on statewide basis to per-
forming the functions that are
carried out in whole or in part
in other states by multiplicity
of organizations.
The single organization is the
North Carolina Department of
Conservation and Development.
Established by Act of the North
Carolina General Assembly of
1925, this department today is
comprised of seven divisions. one
of which is the Division of Com
merce and Industry. Policies of
the department determined by a
board of Is members appointed by
the Governor, who himself is
chairman.
4
Briefly. the services of Depart
nent'S Division of Commerce and
Industry are designed to:
Encourage and assist in the To-
cation and development of new
business and industry in North
I Carolina. and the maintenance of
existing business and industry.
Assist out-of-state firms and in
dividuals in accumulation of con-
fidential business and industrial
data, and prepare special studies.
Conduct research of a contin-
uing nature and issue reports.
Assemble information relating
to status, scope, cost and employ
ment possibilities of planned bus
mess and industrial opportunities.
Advise and cooperate with COM
munities, for the purpose of en-
couraging business and industrial
growth and improvement of these
communities.
Provide source of general in
formation concerning manufac-
turing firms in the State and an
swer inquiries about North Caro-
lima manufacturers and their pro-
ducts.
Furnish industrial site data, and
listings of available North Caro-
Ina industrial buildings.
BACKED BY GOVERNOR
Succeeding Governor Umstead
IS Governor Luther H. Hodges,
who himself made an outstanding
record in the Marshall Field Com
pany before retiring a few years
ago.
Like his predecessor, Governor
Hodges, is stressing the need for
more and continued industrial de-
velopment of North Carolina. AS
the States Lieutenant Governor,