A Connecticut biotechnology company plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Leland and create 52 jobs.

CMS Food Solutions announced today that it would invest $4.4 million in the plant in Brunswick County, about 135 miles southeast of Raleigh.

The company is receiving a $32,000 grant from the One North Carolina fund.

CMS makes antimicrobial applications that target pathogens and bacteria to preserve harvested fruits and vegetables as well as other foods. The manufacturing processes use natural ingredients and produce no waste.

CMS is based in Danbury and has a manufacturing facility in Conroe, Texas. The company expects the Leland plant to be operational in 2012.

The average annual wage for the new jobs will be $43,115, plus benefits. The Brunswick County average is $32,500.

A French manufacturer of plastic and laminated tubes used in a variety of industries plans to built a a manufacturing and distribution facility in Gaston County and create 131 jobs over four years.

CTL Packaging was awarded state incentives this afternoon worth up to $1.3 million if it meets investment and employment goals.

The average wage for the new jobs will be $42,466, above the Gaston County average of $33.956.

The company plans to invest $58.5 million in the Gastonia facility by 2015. Gaston County is donating land for the project and providing the company with $500,000.

This is CTL's first facility in the U.S. It also has two manufacturing facilities in Spain and one in France.

The company also considered sites in Virginia and South Carolina, according to state Department of Commerce officials.

The companies products are used in both the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, among others.

Zurn Industries, a manufacturer of engineered plumbing products, announced today it is expanding its Sanford plant and expects to create 38 jobs over the next three years.

The Erie, Penn.-based company received a $38,000 grant from the One North Carolina fund as part the expansion.

The average wage for the new jobs will be $33,356, plus benefits.  That's below the Lee County annual wage of $36,608.

Zurn makes and distributes plumbing products and accessories, including drainage systems, water control products, hydrants and fixtures.
 

A publicly-traded life sciences company plans to open a new facility in Research Triangle Park that is expected to create 242 jobs over the next five years.

State officials awarded Sequenom as much as $2.3 million in incentives this morning if it meets hiring and investment goals.

The company is creating a facility to commercialize a noninvasive test for Down syndrome that it is preparing to launch.

The average salary for the new jobs will be $53,721, above the Wake County average of $44,980.

Sequenom expects to invest $18.6 million in its RTP site by 2015.

Honda Aircraft announced Monday that it plans to spend $20 million building a jet maintenance facility at its headquarters in Greensboro.

The company already operates a manufacturing facility at the Greensboro Triad Airport.

The Japanese automaker announced in 2007 that it would build a $100 million operation in Greensboro to produce its first jet plane. The same year the company said it would also build a $27 million facility in Burlington to produce the company’s first jet engine.

Those deals were expected to create 420 well-paying jobs -- 70 in Alamance County and 350 in Guilford County.

Honda was lured to North Carolina initially by state and local officials of more than $11 million if it met hiring and investment goals.

The company received a $1 million grant from the One North Carolina fund for this latest expansion.

Most corporate financial executives have soured on the U.S. economy, and many predict it will slip back into a "double dip" recession.

The bleak outlook is a main theme of the latest quarterly survey released this morning by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

The executives surveyed, including chief financial officers, are considered good predictors of the broader economy, since they oversee companies' finances and help set strategy. The survey is just the latest indicator pointing to a slowing economy and weaker hiring.

The Triangle's job market continues to outshine the rest of the state, but bleak unemployment conditions aren't improving as the economic recovery sputters.

This region's jobless rate rose to 8.2 percent in July, according to data released Friday by the N.C. Employment Security Commission and seasonally adjusted by Wells Fargo Securities economists in Charlotte. That's up from 8.1 percent in June.

Cuts in state government and education are hurting the local economy, and private employers are increasingly reluctant to ramp up hiring, said Wells Fargo senior economist Mark Vitner.

"The cost of making a mistake is much greater in a slower growing economy," Vitner said. "Businesses have become much more hesitant about expanding."

Even in a down economy, many employers recognize the need to provide benefits that help employees maintain their work-life balance, including flexible schedules, on-site daycare and more.

Carolina Parent, working with UNC Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School, has released its 13th annual list of the top 50 family friendly companies in North Carolina.

"These companies understand the importance of treating employees with dignity and respect," said Carolina Parent publisher Brenda Larson. "They recognize that if you take care of employees, they will take care of your business."

Many companies use such lists as competitive tools when they're recruiting new employees. That's especially true for tough-to-fill positions in technology and elsewhere.

This region cracks the top 10 (often at No. 1) on so many lists related to jobs, careers, doing business and such.

So it's almost shocking to see Wake County all the way down at No. 15 of Money Magazine's latest list of "Where the jobs are."

To be fair, it's a bit of a lagging indicator. The list of 25 counties is based on job and population growth 2000-2010, as well as places where unemployment was below the national average.

Rockwell County, Texas, came in at No. 1. Loudoun County, Va., was No. 2, and Williamson County, Texas, was No. 3.

Walmart has started hiring 200 employees for its new Durham store, scheduled to open in late October.

Most of the new hires will begin work in September to help get the store ready for its grand opening.

The world's largest retailer is also one of the biggest employers in North Carolina. In this state, the company employs more 52,000 people at 161 stores and three distribution centers.