RALEIGH— The fifth largest manufacturing economy in the nation is in North Carolina. For that reason and others, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper has declared September 30 – October 5 a statewide Manufacturing Week.

According to government officials, the manufacturing industry remains a crucial part of recent economic success. In the last two years, various projects have started. They  include the opening of Egger Wood Product’s first state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in the U.S. and the Regional Advanced Manufacturing Pipeline for Eastern North Carolina (RAMP East) which have created over 22,210  jobs and contributed an estimated $6.44 billion investment to North Carolina’s economy combined.

In the last two years, North Carolina has also garnered a record-breaking $32.7 billion in exports of manufactured goods including pharmaceuticals, transportation equipment, aircraft and automotive parts, and technology industries. North Carolina’s manufacturers are currently benefiting from the nation’s lowest corporate income tax rate of 2.5%, and 28 Fortune 500 companies have built their headquarters in North Carolina. All 58 of North Carolina’s community colleges now offer over 800 courses in manufacturing skills as well.

An Industry Manufacturing Day celebration is scheduled for Thermo Fisher Scientific in Asheville on October 4.