What Are the Main Businesses in North Carolina?

Furniture is the main business in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. With 3,000 stores and more than 35,000 employees, the state has the largest furniture industry in the country, with a concentration of furniture manufacturing activity that is more than three times the national average. Starting a business in North Carolina involves planning, making key decisions and completing a series of legal steps. The state's business development team can help entrepreneurs get their business off the ground.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is a major sponsor of the food and agriculture industries by providing research and support to environmental protection activities and assisting in advocacy and marketing activities. Your EIN will be used to cover sales taxes, use taxes, payroll taxes, and any taxes on machinery or equipment that may apply to your business. North Carolina is also home to well-known aerospace companies such as Honeywell, Spirit AeroSystems, GE Aviation and Lockheed Martin that conduct their business here. The state is also home to military facilities such as Fort Bragg-Pope Army Airfield, Marine Corps Base Camp in Lejeune, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

The state's tight labor market makes it difficult to find and retain top talent in certain industries. SCORE volunteer business professionals and expert mentors advise and guide entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their businesses. North Carolina is an employment-at-will state, which means that private sector employees can be fired without notice or reason. Despite this, the state remains one of five lawless states that protect non-disabled residents from discrimination, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The strong recovery of the state's economy, along with its manageable costs and other benefits of its location, makes North Carolina a business hotspot. Some big companies doing business here are Freightliner, Borg Warner, Caterpillar and Bridgestone, to name a few.