Moore County Economic Development Partnership (MCEDP) received a record 54 new business leads during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27, with active projects representing the potential creation of more than 470 jobs and $175 million in capital investment.
The MCEDP recently released its quarterly progress report for the period ending Sept. 30, which outlined business recruitment efforts, industrial site development, and initiatives to attract new industries to Moore County.
“MCEDP started off the new fiscal year with a lot of activity, as we focused this quarter on responding to a large volume of new business leads, advancing our Iron Horse site, and promoting Moore County for new biobased industrial recruitment,” said Natalie Hawkins, MCEDP president.
From July through September, the partnership received 54 new business leads, a 38% increase over the first quarter of the previous fiscal year. As of Sept. 30, MCEDP was actively working on 29 projects. The organization submitted available properties for 10 of the new leads.
The partnership also continued its efforts to prepare the Iron Horse Industrial Park in Aberdeen for development. Aberdeen’s Board of Commissioners approved an agreement for the town to oversee the design and construction of an access road to the site, and will use grant funding transferred from MCEDP to help offset the cost.
In another development, MCEDP obtained North Carolina’s first Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone rating for Moore County through a $75,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development Grant awarded earlier this year.
The county received an A rating, which reportedly indicates a “strong potential for woody biomass feedstock supply” and infrastructure within a 75-mile radius of Robbins. The designation is intended to help attract industries that use renewable biological materials in manufacturing and other industrial processes.
MCEDP partnered with Ecostrat, a biomass development and supply chain assessment firm, to secure the rating. The organization and its partners have since launched a global marketing campaign to promote Moore County as a location for biobased industrial development.
“This is exciting news as the types of industry sectors Moore County is suited for continues to expand, and the BDO Zone Rating moves our community to the forefront of North Carolina’s growing bioeconomy,” Hawkins said.
MCEDP also continued evaluating a 107-acre property in southern Moore County for a potential business park. After receiving an appraisal, the organization began negotiations with the property owner on a five-year option-to-purchase agreement.
The partnership hosted two Moore Manufacturer Meetups during the quarter. These meetings brought together more than 20 local manufacturers, elected officials, and support organizations at each event. The gatherings included tours of OA Defense in Robbins and MeridianKiosks in Aberdeen.
The report also noted positive economic indicators. Compared with the same period in the previous year, Moore County added a net 333 businesses and 411 jobs. Average annual wages reached $56,420, while private-sector employment totaled 37,627 jobs. The county’s unemployment rate stood at 2.8% in September.
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Abegail Murphy | Assistant Editor
Written by Sandhills Sentinel assistant editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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