Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

92 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 growth and economic development. A recent groundbreaking ceremony at the Minges Corporate Park signaled the arrival of a 225,000-square- foot Minges Bottling facility that will serve as a distribution hub for the region. “They have a potential plan to add another 75,000 square feet, and that building will serve East North Carolina with Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Gatorade,” explains Tripp. “In their building will also be a gaming company, Grover Gaming. Not only are we in traditional manufacturing, also we are looking at technology as a way to bring growth in our industrial park.” CMI Plastic Company, manufacturers of containers for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, also has a presence in that location and Tripp reports that they are in the process of adding 50,000 square feet to their existing facility. Another business that is contributing to the town’s economic vitality is Stack a Stone. Celebrating its first year in the community, this stone manufacturer is looking towards expansion. Additionally, Simple and Sentimental, an online personalized gift business, is an Ayden success story. Economic Development Director, Mallory Denham, highlights, “The lady that owns that company is a rising star. She’s a few years out of college and she’s gone from 8 employees to 20, and she’ll probably be at 30 by next year.” To support these growing businesses and enhance the local workforce, Ayden is actively engaged in various initiatives related to workforce development. Collaborating with institutions like Pitt Community College and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), the town offers incentives and support for new employees. In partnership with the North Carolina Railroad Company and Pitt County, the town of Ayden is also building a rail ready industrial site in the southern part of the community. “There’s 300 acres there that we will build on and it will be attractive for a company who need a rail site,” Tripp expands. He adds the EDPNC has also selected that area as a potential location for an advanced manufacturing mega site, which would be a huge economic boon for the region.