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North Carolina Welcomes New Japanese Company To The State

CBC Americas, Japan
Leoneda Inge

CBC Americas of Japan is moving its US headquarters from New York to North Carolina.

Japan-based CBC makes flooring and plastics as well as video surveillance products.  Its new offices will be in Cary, with a distribution center in Mebane, creating more than 100 jobs.

Governor Pat McCrory applauded the move. He said the state is helping to make these jobs happen.

"CBC is receiving $63,000 from the One North Carolina Fund to help with this relocation," said McCrory. "In addition, the Town of Cary, the City of Mebane and Alamance County have also stepped up to help make this happen."

McCrory, NC Commerce Secretary John Skvarla, executives from CBC Americas and other local and state officials stood outside the historic Spring Hill House on NC State's Centennial Campus to make Wednesday's announcement.  It houses the NC Japan Center, which the governor said played an instrumental role in bringing CBC to North Carolina.

Michael Ozimek is CBC Americas' Chief Operating Officer.  He said the Japan Center has been helpful.

"The ability to recruit bilingual staff outside of a major metropolitan area like New York is certainly a consideration for a company like ours," said Ozimek.  "We were quite satisfied having met with the staff of the Japan Center, that won't be a problem here in North Carolina."

One reason CBC said it chose North Carolina for its new headquarters is because of the need to grow, something it could not do in New York.

CBC Executive Vice President Kazuhiko "Kaz" Kondo said this is a new beginning for the company.

“We fully expect to become stronger, more efficient, and more successful organization as a result," said Kondo.

The company recently broke ground on its new distribution center in Mebane.  It will eventually house both flooring material, as well as cameras and lenses.

"We’re one of the largest producers of high-tech technology cameras and lenses.  We do a lot of security cameras.  I’m sure they’re here on NC State’s campus," said Ozimek.

CBC Americas chose North Carolina over Pennsylvania and Texas for its relocation plans.

Leoneda Inge is WUNC’s race and southern culture reporter, the first public radio journalist in the South to hold such a position. She also is co-host of the podcast Tested and host of the special podcast series, PAULI. Leoneda is the recipient of numerous awards from AP, RTDNA and NABJ. She’s been a reporting fellow in Berlin and Tokyo. You can follow her on Twitter @LeonedaInge.
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