Governor Stein Showcases the North Carolina Advantage in Ireland
NORTH CAROLINA, September 1 - Governor Josh Stein promoted North Carolina as a top state for economic development investments and tourism while in Ireland for meetings with Irish officials and executives.
“North Carolina’s relationship with Ireland is strong through our deep political, economic, and cultural ties,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Nearly 50 Irish companies operate in our state, employing 7,000 North Carolinians, and our businesses exports to Ireland have seen dramatic increases in recent years. After productive meetings with business, tourism, and government leaders promoting North Carolina, I’m optimistic that the deep partnership between North Carolina and Ireland will grow even stronger."
“Irish companies are investing in North Carolina because our state offers the workforce, infrastructure and business climate they need to compete and grow,” said North Carolina Commerce Chief Deputy Secretary Kenny Flowers. “This mission strengthens our economic and tourism ties with Ireland and positions North Carolina to attract more investment, jobs and visitors.
“The relationship between North Carolina and Ireland runs in both directions,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “Irish companies, including Linde, Uniphar, and Wayflyer, are investing and creating jobs in North Carolina, while our state exported nearly $890 million in goods to Ireland last year, making it our 10th largest export market. Also, new nonstop service between Raleigh-Durham and Dublin from Aer Lingus, along with American Airlines' existing service between Charlotte and Dublin, is creating new opportunities for tourism, business, and investment between our two homes. North Carolina and Ireland share a strong commitment to long-term growth, and we're excited to continue building on those ties."
While in Ireland, Governor Stein met with Irish Ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Mason and Peter Burke, the Minister of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment, and joined Enterprise Ireland for the North Carolina Investment and Trade Seminar to discuss opportunities for Irish investment in North Carolina. Governor Stein also hosted a roundtable discussion with business executives of leading Irish companies that operate in North Carolina or have expansion plans within the United States.
Governor Stein addressed a group of leading tour operators and was joined by Visit NC to promote North Carolina as a premier destination for Irish tourism. Ireland is the seventh-largest European market for visits to North Carolina, generating $8.5 million in North Carolina spending in 2024. American Airlines offers seasonal direct flights from Dublin to Charlotte, and Aer Lingus recently launched a year-round nonstop flight between Dublin and Raleigh, making traveling easy between North Carolina and Ireland.
In North Carolina, 48 Irish companies employ more than 7,000 people across nearly 200 locations. Since 2021, North Carolina’s exports to Ireland have increased by 75%. Ireland is North Carolina’s tenth-largest export market and its third-largest source of imports. Last year, North Carolina’s exports to Ireland accounted for more than $888 million. Over the past 10 years, six Irish companies have selected North Carolina to establish or expand operations, creating more than 200 new jobs and generating $127.5 million in capital investment. Recent Irish companies that have invested in North Carolina include Linde, Eaton Corporation (Middlesex), and Wayflyer, which together total nearly $83 million in capital investment and more than 70 good-paying jobs.
North Carolina and Ireland share a strong business relationship in life sciences; pharmaceutical products represented 84% of the state’s total exports to Ireland. North Carolina is home to a growing life sciences industry that employs more than 225,000 people and generates $88.3 billion in annual economic activity. More than 840 life sciences companies operate in North Carolina, with 2,500 additional companies supporting the industry and its unique needs.
North Carolina has consistently been ranked a Top 2 State for Business for the past six years. This year, North Carolina was ranked the #1 state for the economy, the #2 state for business, and the #3 state for workforce. Since taking office last year, Governor Stein has announced more than 42,000 jobs and more than $29 billion in new investment from economic projects across the state.
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