All in Business

Governor Cooper announces North America’s largest end-to-end biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility coming to N.C. as FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies selects Wake County

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies U.S.A. Inc., a world leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), will create 725 jobs and expressed its intent to invest $2 billion in Wake County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will build North America’s largest end-to-end biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, confirming the central role of North Carolina’s Research Triangle region for the next generation of biotech medicines.

North Carolina, which saw a tightening of the presidential race in the 2020 election, was among the states that saw an influx of money from Mark Zuckerberg in the months leading up to the voting. Capital Research Center noted that Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated $350 million to the Center for Technology and Civic Life, which in turn gave the money to local election officials. CRC argues that the formerly small group “became an activist juggernaut with the means to effectively manage the election in numerous cities and battleground states across the nation.”

CRC said $4.3 million of these “Zuck bucks” went to 34 North Carolina cities and counties, in addition to a $1 million grant to the state board of elections. CRC said Biden gained about 80,000 votes in the counties that received the grants.

Migration analysis suggests tax climate draws Americans to N.C.

A recent examination by the Tax Foundation shows North Carolina’s high net migration rate may be due to its friendly tax climate. The nonprofit, nonpartisan group annually examines migration trends, using data from United Van Lines, the largest moving company in the country. That company’s National Movers Study found that in 2020, Idaho saw the highest percentage of net migration at 70%, followed by South Carolina (64%), Oregon (63%), South Dakota, and Arizona (both 62%). North Carolina ranked sixth at 60%.

The states with the highest exodus? New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and California.