North Carolina: Showcasing its Life Sciences Ecosystem

Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC)

Challenge

By the end of 2024, North Carolina was home to 840 life sciences companies employing 75,000 people – specializing in fields ranging from pharmaceutical manufacturing and health informatics to crop genetic engineering. Thanks to the state’s low energy costs and robust workforce training ecosystem, these numbers are expected to grow in the years ahead.

Given 2025 U.S. tariffs incentivizing companies to shift production, North Carolina wanted to expand international awareness around its life sciences sector to attract even more investment.

Solution

Violet PR partnered with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) to leverage major business announcements—including Genentech’s production decision in May 2025 and Johnson & Johnson’s $2B production plans announced in August 2025 —and to bring leading life science reporters on a group press trip to explore the state in person.

Violet PR collaborated with EDPNC, the North Carolina Governor’s Office, and company representatives to announce Genentech’s decision to invest $700 million in a new manufacturing plant in Holly Springs, tied to the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit. We developed a tailored media pitch and press release aimed at ensuring North Carolina was not only mentioned prominently in the coverage but also featured in 15+ headlines—a result that is far from guaranteed in private-sector announcements, where the state’s role often gets overshadowed.

Shortly after, Violet PR news jacked the announcement of Johnson & Johnson’s $2 billion investment in North Carolina to expand its U.S. manufacturing footprint, leveraging the timing to reinforce the state’s position as a hub for life sciences and biomanufacturing.

In parallel, Violet PR organized a group press trip designed to give life sciences industry reporters a first-hand look at North Carolina’s life sciences production facilities. Our team worked with top companies including FUJIFILM, Eli Lilly, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, as well as workforce development partners, to bring reporters on facility tours and coordinate executive interviews.

Reporters from Fierce Pharma, Pharma Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering, and Site Selection Magazine attended our trip. The group experienced a mix of in-depth industry programming, and got a taste of North Carolina culture, complete with local BBQ.