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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

World Cat Chooses Greenville, North Carolina, for Manufacturing Plant

08/07/2020
World Cat, a manufacturer of outboard power catamarans for recreational boaters worldwide, will invest $8,879,000 to expand its operations with a new production facility in Greenville, North Carolina. The company plans to add 60 jobs Pitt County.

“North Carolina has been a strong partner for World Cat the past 20 years and is a big part of our success,” says Andrew Brown, president of World Cat. “World Cat is a people business: our boats are designed and built by exceptional people, sold by exceptional people, and serviced by exceptional people so our customers have a fantastic experience.” The addition of 230,000 sq.-ft. of manufacturing space in Greenville will position the company for long-term growth in the fastest-growing segment of the recreational market. “We have a wonderful team in Tarboro and are excited to extend our culture and philosophy to our new facility in Greenville,” added Vann Knight, vice president of operations for World Cat.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce led a team of partners in supporting World Cat’s decision to expand its North Carolina operations. As an incentive a performance-based grant of $180,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate World Cat’s expansion in North Carolina.

The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require a matching grant from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“Despite uncertain economic conditions globally, North Carolina continues to prove itself as the smart choice for growing companies,” said Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “Boatbuilding is one of our earliest industries, and today’s expansion by World Cat highlights our capacity to support the success of 21st century global businesses in every region of the state.”

“For years now, Pitt County has offered a home for boatbuilders, and today's news means that we will be able to continue building on that success in our area," said N.C. Rep. Kandie D. Smith. "Greenville is the perfect location for this type of competitive project, and I am grateful for the hard work of our local and state economic development partners and allies who helped bring this project here."

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority, Greenville Utilities, Pitt County, Greenville ENC Alliance, and the City of Greenville.

A brand of HC Composites, World Cat has been headquartered in Tarboro since 2002. According to state officials, its expansion is the result of strong consumer demand for 36-foot to 50-foot Custom World Cat’s, whose twin hull design provides a balanced, stable recreational boating experience. World Cat will maintain its 180-person workforce at its facility in Tarboro.

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