MEGASITES, MEGA IMPACT: Excellent infrastructure and competitive costs of doing business make these shovel-ready sites ideal for advanced manufacturers.

• Author: Bernhard, Kent
• Position: FOCUS ON: INDUSTRIAL PARKS

Whether it's the 1,000-plus acre sites in central North Carolina now known as Carolina Core or a Person County site where ambitious planners see potential for major growth, the region is ready to serve as a hub for advanced manufacturing.

North Carolina offers several shovel-ready megasites of more than 1,000 acres each, all suitable for large-scale manufacturing. So when a large manufacturer is looking for a place to land, "they can easily find what they're looking for here in North Carolina," says Chris Chung, chief executive officer of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

Chung says the type of manufacturer attracted to a megasite can have a huge impact on a community.

"These are transformative companies," Chung says. "That can have positive ripple effects for years to come."

One major push to attract advanced manufacturing to the state is N.C. Carolina Core, an effort unveiled last year to market megasites and other industrial development from Winston-Salem to Fayetteville.

The megasites of Carolina Core cover a total of 7,200 acres, offering plenty of room for advanced manufacturers to grow, according to the N.C. Carolina Core. The Carolina Core includes the PTI Aerospace megasite at Piedmont Triad International Airport; Greensboro-Randolph Megasite; Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Megasite; and the Moncure Megasite.

But they aren't the only such sites in the state. The Person County Mega Park boasts two nearby power plants and access to a highly educated workforce ideally suited for advanced manufacturing such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, says Joe Magno, project manager for the development of the marketing and workforce-development plans for the site.

The Person County site includes about 1,300 acres. "It's a perfect site for advanced manufacturing," Magno says.

The Kingsboro CSX Select Megaslte in Edgecombe County was the first to land a major tenant when Triangle Tyre, a China-based manufacturer, announced it would build its first U.S. plant there.

Each site listed includes access to four-lane roads, rail and international airports, and has proximity to major ports including the Port of Wilmington, which is undergoing $150 million in infrastructure upgrades. They join megasites in Brunswick County and dozens of smaller industrial sites across the state that boast highway access and other infrastructure.

1 CHATHAM-SILER CITY ADVANCED MANUFACTURING MEGASITE

Two international airports, Piedmont...