Global TransPark
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina Global TransPark' (GTP)is a 2,500 acre, multi-modal industrial/airport site in Eastern North Carolina. As an agency of the State of North Carolina, the GTP is considered a key engine for driving the economic of Eastern North Carolina. The park offers access to multi-modal transportation options: air, rail, highways, and North Carolina's two international ports. The GTP is part of an economic development initiative in eastern North Carolina
intended to spur transition in the region from an agricultural base to one of skilled labor and industrial manufacturing. Industries targeted by the GTP are aerospace
, defense and logistics
sectors.
It is located approximately 30 minutes south of Greenville, North Carolina
at the Kinston Regional Jetport
(ISO) in Kinston, North Carolina
. The airport runway has been extended to 11,500 feet (3,500 m), making it one of the longest commercial runways in the state. The park is centrally located on the mid-atlantic seaboard and amongst North Carolina's 6 military installments. In May 1996, the Global TransPark was designated as Foreign Trade Zone
214. The designation means companies can export and import products through the TransPark without many of the usual customs restrictions and tarriffs. Inspired by the 1950s Research Triangle Park
to the west, GTP's growth has been similarly slow, although proponents maintain that in time the concept will prove successful.
Designed to attract industry and bring increased economic opportunities to the citizens of Eastern North Carolina and beyond, the GTP features more than 2400 acres (9.7 km²) available for shovel ready sites. The park also features an on-site Education & Training Center, now known as the Spirit Aerosystems Composite Center of Excellence. This on-site training facility offers classrooms, meeting rooms and composite labs for beginning or advance training. Workforce development programs are designed by Lenoir Community College
based on each company's specific needs.
Supporters of the Global TransPark point to recent success, such as the decision by Spirit AeroSystems
of Wichita, Kansas
, to locate a manufacturing plant there that will eventually employ more than 1,000 people. In 2008, Spirit said it will invest $570 million in the GTP project over the next six years. Spirit manufactures the center portion of the fuselage of the Airbus A350
Xtra WideBody airplane, will became operational in July 2010. State grants totaling about $125 million include a $5 million grant and more than $20 million, payable over 12 years, tied to the job creation attracted Spirit to North Carolina and the GTP. The Golden LEAF Foundation
, which oversees North Carolina's share of tobacco-settlement money, also approved spending $100 million for Spirit's new building 500,000 square-foot facility.
In 2011, Spirit Aerosystems announced that it would be expanding its operations at the Global TransPark. The aerospace supplier will establish production for the Gulfstream 280 wing at its North Carolina facility. The company anticipates that 150-200 additional jobs will be created at the Global Transpark over the next 5 years as part of this work package.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has committed to building a rail spur, plus several road improvements within the Global TransPark to allow Spirit and other tenants to receive, build and ship out aircraft and other industrial components. The rail spur will connect Spirit's manufacturing facilities, as well as other sites within the Global TransPark, to the North Carolina Railroad's
east-west line that runs through the center of Kinston to the Port of Morehead City
75 miles east of the GTP. The rail spur is currently being constructed, with final completion expected by January 2012.
The Global TransPark is also home to emergency services. The North Carolina Forsetry Service, Highway Patrol and Emergency Management have established facilities at the TransPark. The GTP is the regional coordinating center activated to counter the destruction of natural disasters such as Hurricane Floyd
in 1999 and Hurricane Irene in 2011.
On several occasions, the Global TransPark has been noted as an up and coming site for business development and site selection
. Southern Business & Development named the GTP one of its 10 outstanding logistics parks in the South. Site Selection magazine has consistently chosen North Carolina as the most business friendly state in the country, and has highlighted the Global TransPark's success in business recruiting.
Other companies to locate facilities at the Global TransPark in recent years include Mountain Air Cargo
, Henley Aviation, Commerce Overseas Corp., Longistics, MJE Telestructure, Delta Private Jets, DB Schenker
and Spatial Integrated Systems.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
intended to spur transition in the region from an agricultural base to one of skilled labor and industrial manufacturing. Industries targeted by the GTP are aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
, defense and logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
sectors.
It is located approximately 30 minutes south of Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
at the Kinston Regional Jetport
Kinston Regional Jetport
Kinston Regional Jetport , also known as Stallings Field, is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Kinston, a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, USA. The airport has a single runway that is one of the longest in the southeastern United States. It...
(ISO) in Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 23,688 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated at 22,360 in 2008. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791 . Kinston is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks...
. The airport runway has been extended to 11,500 feet (3,500 m), making it one of the longest commercial runways in the state. The park is centrally located on the mid-atlantic seaboard and amongst North Carolina's 6 military installments. In May 1996, the Global TransPark was designated as Foreign Trade Zone
Foreign trade zone
A foreign-trade zone in the United States is a geographical area, in United States Ports of Entry Ports of Entry, where commercial merchandise, both domestic and foreign receives the same Customs treatment it would if it were outside the commerce of the United States...
214. The designation means companies can export and import products through the TransPark without many of the usual customs restrictions and tarriffs. Inspired by the 1950s Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...
to the west, GTP's growth has been similarly slow, although proponents maintain that in time the concept will prove successful.
Designed to attract industry and bring increased economic opportunities to the citizens of Eastern North Carolina and beyond, the GTP features more than 2400 acres (9.7 km²) available for shovel ready sites. The park also features an on-site Education & Training Center, now known as the Spirit Aerosystems Composite Center of Excellence. This on-site training facility offers classrooms, meeting rooms and composite labs for beginning or advance training. Workforce development programs are designed by Lenoir Community College
Lenoir Community College
Lenoir Community College is a community college in Lenoir County, North Carolina offering degree programs and continuing education.LCC's main campus is located in the city of Kinston in Lenoir County...
based on each company's specific needs.
Supporters of the Global TransPark point to recent success, such as the decision by Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. , based in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. The company builds several important pieces of Boeing aircraft, including the fuselage of the 737, portions of the 787 fuselage, and the cockpit of nearly all of its airliners...
of Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, to locate a manufacturing plant there that will eventually employ more than 1,000 people. In 2008, Spirit said it will invest $570 million in the GTP project over the next six years. Spirit manufactures the center portion of the fuselage of the Airbus A350
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
Xtra WideBody airplane, will became operational in July 2010. State grants totaling about $125 million include a $5 million grant and more than $20 million, payable over 12 years, tied to the job creation attracted Spirit to North Carolina and the GTP. The Golden LEAF Foundation
Golden LEAF Foundation
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit corporation based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina in the United States, that was created in 1999 to receive half of the funds coming to North Carolina from the master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers. The foundation is now devoted to...
, which oversees North Carolina's share of tobacco-settlement money, also approved spending $100 million for Spirit's new building 500,000 square-foot facility.
In 2011, Spirit Aerosystems announced that it would be expanding its operations at the Global TransPark. The aerospace supplier will establish production for the Gulfstream 280 wing at its North Carolina facility. The company anticipates that 150-200 additional jobs will be created at the Global Transpark over the next 5 years as part of this work package.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has committed to building a rail spur, plus several road improvements within the Global TransPark to allow Spirit and other tenants to receive, build and ship out aircraft and other industrial components. The rail spur will connect Spirit's manufacturing facilities, as well as other sites within the Global TransPark, to the North Carolina Railroad's
North Carolina Railroad
The North Carolina Railroad is a state-owned rail corridor extending from Morehead City, North Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina. The railroad carries over seventy freight trains and eight passenger trains daily...
east-west line that runs through the center of Kinston to the Port of Morehead City
Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
75 miles east of the GTP. The rail spur is currently being constructed, with final completion expected by January 2012.
The Global TransPark is also home to emergency services. The North Carolina Forsetry Service, Highway Patrol and Emergency Management have established facilities at the TransPark. The GTP is the regional coordinating center activated to counter the destruction of natural disasters such as Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
in 1999 and Hurricane Irene in 2011.
On several occasions, the Global TransPark has been noted as an up and coming site for business development and site selection
Site selection
Site Selection indicates the practice of new facility location, both for business and government. Site selection involves measuring the needs of a new project against the merits of potential locations...
. Southern Business & Development named the GTP one of its 10 outstanding logistics parks in the South. Site Selection magazine has consistently chosen North Carolina as the most business friendly state in the country, and has highlighted the Global TransPark's success in business recruiting.
Other companies to locate facilities at the Global TransPark in recent years include Mountain Air Cargo
Mountain Air Cargo
Mountain Air Cargo is an American cargo airline based in Denver, North Carolina, USA. It is a major contract carrier for FedEx Express, operating in the eastern USA and the Caribbean. Previous operations in South America have been discontinued by FedEx who now operate jet aircraft in that area. Its...
, Henley Aviation, Commerce Overseas Corp., Longistics, MJE Telestructure, Delta Private Jets, DB Schenker
DB Schenker
DB Schenker is a logistics company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. The company, created by reorganisation and rebranding of various Deutsche Bahn subsidiaries, comprises a logistics division encompassing air, land and sea freight, and a rail division made up from a variety of...
and Spatial Integrated Systems.