Location and Infrastructure

Greater Wilmington is located in the southeastern corner of North Carolina. At 38 feet above sea level, the Atlantic Ocean on the east and Interstate 40 to the west border it. The average temperature in January is 44 degrees F and in July is 79 degrees F.

Wilmington Industrial Development is bisected by East/West Interstate 40, which provides an expressway from the International deep-water seaport in Wilmington to Southern California. Interstate 40 offers a connection to North/South Interstate 95 within one-hour drive in Benson, NC. Interstate 73/74, already in construction, will connect the region with Detroit and the Midwest and is within a 30-minute drive via Interstate 40. By locating in the region, companies enjoy an excellent infrastructure; transportation access by highway, rail, seaport and air; superb quality of life; and a pro-business attitude second to none. The state’s largest river, the Cape Fear, bisects the region on its way to the coast. The predominantly flat topography of this region - which often makes construction less complicated and much less expensive - gradually gives way to the gentle rise and fall that eventually becomes our state’s spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Greater Wilmington Region is home to the internationally acclaimed University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) with its Center for Marine Science. UNCW is constantly ranked in the top ten universities in the South according to U.S. News and World Report. Cape Fear Community College offers free customized skills training to new and expanding industries.

The Greater Wilmington Region is a blend of urban and rural areas. The distinct personalities of our city and the quality of the region’s down-home hospitality draw people here from across the nation. Wilmington, long known for its quiet beaches and busy port, has been discovered in recent years by business and industry, retirees, families - and Hollywood. More film revenue has been generated in Wilmington over the past several years than in any other United States’ city, except Los Angeles and New York. Wilmington alone has seen more lights, cameras and action than 45 states.

Just over the state line, within an hour’s drive, is the Myrtle Beach coast - a Mecca for golf, shopping and night life. Our proximity to South Carolina offers additional recreational opportunities, and gives Wilmington Industrial Development a much larger labor pool from which to draw.

Government Structure

New Hanover, Pender, and Duplin counties operate a commission/manager form of government. Each Board of Commissioners is made up of five members who are elected on a partisan basis for staggered four-year terms. Commissioners hold policy-making and legislative authority. They are also responsible for adopting the budget and appointing the county manager. The manager is responsible for implementing policies, managing daily operations, and appointing department heads. Other elected officials include the register of deeds and the sheriff.

Form of Government
City of Wilmington: Council/Manager
New Hanover County: Commissioner/Manager
Town of Burgaw: Council/Manager
Pender County: Commissioner/Manager
Town of Wallace: Council/Manager
Duplin County: Commissioner/Manager

Government Services
Each local government that Wilmington Industrial Development contracts with has their own Fire Protection and Law Enforcement Agencies.
New Hanover Co. has 13 Municipal Fire Stations, 7 Volunteer Fire Departments, 4 Police Departments and a Sheriff’s Department that all work together to keep New Hanover Co. safe and secure.
Wilmington Fire Department
New Hanover Co. Fire & Rescue
Wilmington Police Department
New Hanover Co. Sheriff’s Department

Pender Co.
Fire Protection is provided by 12 fire departments located throughout the county. Three of these departments are combination career and Volunteer departments. Ten departments contract with the county to provide fire protection to the rural portions of the county. The remaining two departments are municipal departments that have no rural districts. Three Police Departments, and a Sheriff’s Department cover the law enforcement
Pender Co. Fire & Rescue
Burgaw Police Department
Hampstead Police Department
Topsail Beach Police Department

The Town of Wallace has the Wallace Fire Department which provides 24-hour fire protection and its own 24-hour dispatch center. Along with the Wallace Police Department, the Duplin Co. Sheriff’s Department provides a safe haven for the Wallace Community.
Wallace Fire Department
Wallace Police Department
Duplin Co. Sheriff’s Department

Wilmington
Wilmington, first settled in 1733, has a city population of 92,100 and incorporates an area of 50.3 square miles. Operated separately from the county under a mayor/council form of government, Wilmington has a seven-member non-partisan city council. Members are elected at-large to staggered four-year terms while the mayor is elected to serve a two-year term. The mayor and council serve as the city's policy-making body. Together they employ a city manager to direct the activities of Wilmington's various departments. The Wilmington City Council makes extensive use of appointed boards and commissions in formulating its policy decisions.
Wilmington

New Hanover County
Incorporated in 1759, New Hanover County is located in the tidewater section of Southeastern North Carolina. The county's land area totals 198 square miles and is the second most densely populated county in the state. The City of Wilmington serves as the County Seat. Other municipalities in the county include Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach.
New Hanover County

Pender County
Pender County was founded in 1875 and encompasses 871 square miles. The County Seat is Burgaw. As one of the largest counties in the state, Pender County is a rapidly growing bedroom community of Wilmington.
Pender County

Utilities

Electric Service
Progress Energy
Progress Energy is the primary electric service provider for the Greater Wilmington area.

  • Progress Energy prides itself on working with new and existing industries to promote energy efficiency and power quality assurance. Flexible rate reduction options are available including:
    1. An economic development rider
    2. Time-of-use rates
    3. Transformation discounts
    4. Incremental power service rates
    5. A real-time pricing option

Other programs are also in place for the purpose of helping plants optimize new or expanded manufacturing processes and to design enhancements to reduce downtime within the plant.

Four County Electric Membership Corporation

  • Four County EMC has a diverse economic development program to assist with business moves or expansions.
  • They also provide technical assistance in community development projects such as the establishment of medical centers, fire and rescue departments, water and sewer systems, and distance learning/medical link programs.

Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas

  • Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy service company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 62,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers.
  • If you're considering a relocation or expansion in the Piedmont or region of the Carolinas or the coastal region of N.C., call us. Our engineers offer energy and site analysis and can help you find the most competitive processes and facilities for your business.

Sewer System

Wastewater Treatment
Potential customers in Wilmington or New Hanover County purchase raw or treated water from the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA)

New Hanover County
CFPUA

Pender County
Burgaw
Hampstead
Town of Wallace

Solid Waste Disposal

New Hanover County
County operates landfill and incinerator
Private hauling companies: Waste Industries Waste Management

Pender County
One transfer station and several convenience sites
Private Hauling Companies: ARS Waste Industries Waste Management
Town of Wallace contracts with a private firm to collect all solid waste from residential and commercial customers.

Telecommunications

North Carolina, and in particular the Greater Wilmington area, is building the world's most advanced telecommunications network. It is a powerful economic development tool, connecting community colleges, universities, health-care facilities, and schools across the state.

Cellular Phone Service: ALLTEL Communications, AT&T Mobility, KIWI, Nextel Communications / Sprint Cellular, SunCom Wireless, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless.
Verizon Wireless
AT&T
EMBARQ
MCI Telecommunications
Sprint

Internet Service Providers

There are numerous internet providers in the Greater Wilmington area, here are the major ones; AT&T, Charter Communications, Communication Specialist, Earthlink, Nuvox Communications Inc. and Road Runner High Speed Online.

Cable Providers

Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable

Water

The Lower Cape Fear River serves as the regional water supply for New Hanover, Pender, Bladen, Brunswick, and Columbus counties. The water supply is managed by the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, a 11-member board appointed by the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County, which includes two County Commissioners and two City Council members, and the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority, a non-profit public agency that is governed by a 13-member constituent board. This regional approach to managing water resources has resulted in a quality supply system. It has also enabled the Authority to plan for the future, making it possible to market its abundant water resources for economic expansion.

Water Providers

Cape Fear Public Utility Authority ( CFPUA)
Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority
Pender County
Town of Burgaw
Duplin Co. (Wallace)