Greenville, North Carolina, is set to become the latest hub for a major international company looking to expand its operations in the United States. Boviet Solar, a Vietnamese-based company, has announced plans to build its first North American solar panel manufacturing plant in Greenville, creating over 900 jobs. The company will invest nearly $300 million in a 1 million-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in the area.
Boviet specializes in making high-end solar panels and photovoltaic modules that are currently used by commercial, industrial, and residential customers in the U.S. The company has offices in Germany, China, and the U.S., and the Greenville plant will help increase its capacity worldwide for these products.
The announcement was made at an East Carolina University news conference with Gov. Roy Cooper and other government officials. Boviet CEO Jimmy Xie expressed pride in bringing the company’s manufacturing excellence to the most significant solar market in North America while contributing to the state’s economy. The plant is expected to create 908 jobs by 2028, with an average annual salary of $52,879, slightly above the Pitt County average.
The state Commerce Department revealed that Boviet also considered alternative locations for the plant in Phoenix and Atlanta but ultimately chose Greenville due to its skilled workforce and favorable business environment. Earlier on Friday, a state panel approved cash incentives of up to $8.3 million over 12 years for Boviet if it meets specific job creation and capital spending requirements. Overall, the company is set to receive $34.6 million in combined state and local incentives for the project.
VinFast, another Vietnamese company, is building a plant in Chatham County that is expected to generate thousands of jobs as well.
The influx of foreign investment in North Carolina demonstrates the state’s growing appeal as a hub for international companies looking to expand their operations in the United States.
This news comes as part of a growing trend of foreign companies expanding their operations into North Carolina. In recent years, we have seen companies like Google and Microsoft open new facilities here, creating thousands of jobs.
The presence of these companies highlights North Carolina’s strong business climate and skilled workforce as key factors that attract foreign investment.
With more than 300 days left until November elections this year