Electronics manufacturer picks Durham for 150 jobs after getting incentives from NC

An electronics manufacturer that makes components critical for 5G technology has picked Durham for 150 new jobs, the company said Friday.

Nuvotronics, which produces radio-frequency products, will invest $50 million into its existing facility in Durham over the next five years, the state’s Commerce Department announced.

On Friday Commerce approved an incentive package worth $1.2 million over the next 12 years to land the expansion. Both the City and County of Durham said they will consider an incentive package for the company at coming meetings.

Founded in Virginia in 2008, Nuvotronics has had a facility in Research Triangle Park for several years, where it makes radio frequency devices, like antennas, filters and combiners.

Radio-frequency technology is expected to be a growth area in coming years, as everything from 5G towers to electric cars will use the technology to communicate. Fellow Durham-based electronics maker, Cree, has completely shifted its business model in recent years to take advantage of this trend, The News & Observer previously reported.

The average annual wage for the new positions is expected to be $72,867. The median household income in Durham county is $58,000 per year, according to the Census Bureau.

Eighty of the positions are expected to only require a high school diploma or a two-year degree. Those positions will have an average wage of $50,000, Durham County said in a release.

“The expansion of this innovative company signals once again about North Carolina’s resistance during the pandemic,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement. “Our advanced manufacturing and technology workforce will help them meet their goals.”

Durham County has landed more than 4,000 jobs since 2017 via the state’s Job Development Investment Grant program, Commerce Secretary Tony Copeland said in an interview.

It’s the second expansion in Durham announced this week. On Thursday, clinical research company BioAgilytix said it would add 878 jobs in Durham in exchange for $18.9 million in incentives, The N&O reported.

Original Article Source: News & Observer