For the third time in four years, North Carolina took home the prestigious Platinum Shovel Award, showcasing its excellence in economic development.
“North Carolina’s Platinum Shovel this year is the product of extraordinary range — not just in dollar figures, but in the breadth of industries the state has managed to attract, retain, and grow simultaneously,” the article from Area Development reads.
North Carolina’s headline project was JetZero, a California-based blended-wing aircraft developer adding a $4.7 billion manufacturing facility in Greensboro and expected to create more than 14,500 jobs. But two Charlotte-area announcements shared the recognition as the state’s projects of the year: Scout Motors and Jabil.
Scout Motors, the emerging automotive manufacturer revitalizing an iconic American brand, selected Charlotte as the home of its corporate headquarters back in November. The nearly $207 million investment will bring more than 1,200 jobs to the Charlotte Region.
In Rowan County, Jabil Inc., a leader in engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions, expects to create 1,181 new jobs. The company announced last June that it will invest approximately $500 million over several years to establish a manufacturing facility to support cloud and AI data center customers.
Other projects called out in the Charlotte Region were Maersk’s 520-job announcement and Citigroup’s 510-job announcement.
“Taken together, North Carolina’s 2026 project portfolio is a masterclass in diversification. No single sector dominates, no single metro carries the weight, and no single type of capital defines the story,” the article reads. “That balance — hard-won and carefully cultivated — is exactly what a Platinum Shovel is meant to recognize.”
Silver Shovel Winners: Excellence Across the Map
The Silver Shovel Awards honor states whose project portfolios reflect consistent, strategic execution that creates durable, strong economies. South Carolina’s transformer manufacturing, electrification, and a broadening industrial base have grown increasingly competitive on the national stage, earning it a Silver Shovel Award.
In the Charlotte Region, Komar Industries added 160 industrial machinery jobs to York County with a $12 million investment. It’s the company’s first South Carolina operation.
