NC commerce officials cancel incentives deals with six companies

North Carolina officials terminated incentives deals for a half-dozen companies that had planned to create up to 1,500 jobs and grow the state’s economy by up to $3 billion. 

The projects, including three in the Triangle, were terminated Tuesday by the state Commerce Department’s Economic Investment Committee, which oversees major jobs grants. 

Companies often request to terminate incentives agreements if they can’t meet hiring or investment targets. Commerce officials can also terminate projects if a company isn’t meeting its hiring goals or if it isn’t complying with reporting requirements — all safeguards to ensure the state’s grant dollars are being issued to companies that make good on their promises. 

Relias Learning. Commerce officials terminated a jobs grant worth up to $5.4 million for a project that promised to bring up to 450 jobs to Cary. The expansion, announced in 2016, was among several expansions by the online continuing education company in recent years. The company reported that it had created 352 jobs through the end of 2024, which was about 71 jobs short of its target for that year. The company had about 670 employees total at the end of 2024. The project was expected to grow the state’s economy by about $39 million. State incentives are often determined by how many jobs will physically exist in North Carolina. Relias  said Tuesday that it remains committed to the state, adding that changes made during the Covid-19 pandemic enabled more staff to relocate. The company also said automation has changed its operations and staffing needs. “These changes have demonstrated the value of flexibility, allowing us to stay agile and address workforce needs organically, while continuing to maintain a majority presence in North Carolina,” the company said in a statement.

Advanced Medicine Partners. Officials terminated incentives worth up to $2.4 million for Advanced Medicine Partners, which in 2021 announced plans to create 200 jobs and invest $125 million in Durham County. The expansion by the company, formerly Jaguar Gene Therapy, was projected to grow the state’s economy by more than $279 million. The company, which maintains operations in the state, wasn’t able to meet hiring targets outlined in the incentives agreement, commerce officials said. State officials terminated the incentives after the company failed to file a required 2024 annual report to the state. It was unclear how many people the company currently employs. The company didn’t receive any payments under the agreement. Representatives of the company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

CARsgen Therapeutics. Officials terminated incentives worth up to $1.6 million for CARsgen Therapeutics, which planned to invest $157 million and create 200 jobs at a plant in Durham. The expansion — expected to be the Chinese company’s first North American biomanufacturing site — was projected to grow the state’s economy by up to $1.04 billion over the 12-year life of the grant. The biopharmaceutical company wasn’t able to meet hiring targets in the agreement, state officials said. It also failed to file a required 2024 annual report to the state. The company hasn’t received any payments under the agreement. 

Atom Power. Officials agreed to terminate an incentives agreement worth up to $1.2 million for Atom Power, which in 2023 announced plans to invest $4.2 million and create 205 jobs in Huntersville. The maker of electric-vehicle charging stations asked the state to terminate the incentives because it couldn’t meet hiring targets. At the end of 2025, the company had only hired about 20 people toward its target, executives told state officials. “Based on current business conditions and operational realities, the company has determined that the anticipated growth and expansion that formed the basis of the [jobs grant] will not occur,” Terry Simpson, Atom’s finance chief, told commerce officials in a Jan. 28 letter. The project was expected to grow the state’s economy by $818 million over the life of the 12-year grant. The company hadn’t received any payments under the grant agreement, according to state officials. 

JELD-WEN. Commerce officials canceled incentives worth up to $2.2 million for Charlotte-based JELD-WEN, a maker of windows and doors, which in 2021 announced plans to invest $7.9 million and add 235 jobs in Statesville. The termination came after the company failed to file a required 2024 annual performance report to state officials. The expansion was expected to grow the state economy by $492 million. The company employed 490 people in the state at the time of the expansion announcement. JELD-WEN had received about $74,000 in payments under the 12-year grant. It will retain that money because it met previous targets and maintains operations in the state, but it won’t receive future payments because it isn’t able to meet hiring targets set out in the 2021 agreement. Company representatives didn’t respond to a request for comment. 

Technimark. Officials terminated incentives worth up to $1.1 million for Technimark, which in 2022 announced plans to invest $62 million and create up to 220 jobs in Randolph County. The manufacturer had planned to expand manufacturing for health care and consumer packaging customers in Asheboro, but it couldn’t meet hiring targets, according to state officials. The company also didn’t file a required 2024 annual performance report with the state, officials said Tuesday. The expansion was expected to grow the state economy by $398.5 million over the 12-year life of the jobs grant. It was unclear how many people the company employs in the state. A company spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for more information.