Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Metadata
Document management portal powered by Laserfiche WebLink 9 © 1998-2015 Laserfiche. All rights reserved.
development. Technical guidance and training support is provided to cocoa farmers through <br /> various programs that protect the natural and social environment. <br /> Chronology of Events: <br /> Project Rainbow made a total of 11 site selection visits to Orange County, over the previous 19 months, as <br /> follows: <br /> • February 1, 2012 N.C. Department of Commerce first contacted Orange County regarding an <br /> unidentified site search for "Project Rainbow". <br /> • April 5 — 6, 2012 First visit to see sites in NC & Orange County by Morinaga America & the <br /> firm's Portland, OR-based site selection consultant, InSpec Group. <br /> • May 18, 2012 Morinaga America & consultant returned to see NC and Orange County sites. <br /> • July 11 — 16, 2012 Morinaga America & consultant returned to Orange County. <br /> • August 22, 2012 Consultant returned to Orange County. No other NC sites were visited. <br /> • August 27, 2012 BOCC first met in closed session to discuss a potential incentive. <br /> • January 11, 2013 Morinaga & Co.'s senior staff from Japan, Managing Director Toru Arai & <br /> Senior Managing Director Osamu Noda, travelled from Tokyo to see the <br /> Orange County (and Atlanta) sites, and met with Governor McCrory & N. C. <br /> Dept. of Commerce Secretary Decker. <br /> • January 24, 2013 BOCC received a second closed session briefing on the project. <br /> January 31, 2013 Orange County was notified it had emerged as one of 2 finalist locations, <br /> along with a competing site near Atlanta. <br /> • March 19 —21, 2013 Morinaga America's President from Los Angeles, Masao Hoshino, visited & <br /> met with BOCC in closed session; Orange County's proposed incentive was <br /> discussed and tentatively approved. <br /> • April 14 — 15, 2013 Consultant returned. <br /> • June 11, 2013 Consultant returned. <br /> • July 1, 2013 Mr. Toru Arai, who first visited Orange County in January 2013, was <br /> promoted <br /> to President of Morinaga & Co., Ltd. in Japan. <br /> • July 10 — 12, 2013 Chairman Gota Morinaga visited to review our site and meet with the <br /> Governor. <br /> • July 20, 2013 Morinaga & consultant returned to view additional acreage. <br /> • August 30, 2013 Morinaga & consultant returned to observe the site survey. <br /> • September 3, 2013 Official public announcement of Morinaga's decision to select Orange <br /> County. <br /> • September 17, 2013 Next scheduled consultant visit to discuss site infrastructure development. <br /> Competition & Initial Site Search: <br /> In early 2012, Morinaga and site selection consultant InSpec Group began a multi-state site search to <br /> identify a "Hi-Chew" manufacturing location. Competition for this project included the following <br /> communities: <br /> • Portland, OR <br /> • Ontario, Canada <br /> • Philadelphia, PA <br /> • Richmond, VA <br /> • Atlanta, GA <br /> • North Carolina (18 total sites in 12 counties) <br /> Morinaga's Planned Investment in Orange County: <br /> On September 3, 2013 the company announced its' decision to invest in Orange County, as follows: <br /> • Capital Investment: $48 million <br />