Verified local employers across Hickory, Newton, and Claremont — manufacturing, distribution, and processing. Dedicated pages cover Apple, Microsoft, and Trivium Corporate Center.
Verified facilities in Catawba County
Manufacturing, distribution, and processing
Apple, Microsoft, and Trivium Corporate Center
Catawba County's employer base includes wholesale grocery and foodservice distribution in Hickory, manufacturing in Hickory, Newton, and Claremont, and a Claremont meat and prepared foods plant. The cards below use verified facts only — no invented job counts or housing prices.
Apple, Microsoft, and Trivium Corporate Center have their own pages. This hub covers the remaining verified employers and notes names that are easy to mix up.
MDI, PFG, Shurtape
Tyson, Prysmian, Smurfit, CommScope
Trivium Packaging, Target
Apple, Microsoft, Trivium Corporate Center
Newton · Manufacturer
Global metal packaging company formed in 2019 (merger of Exal Corporation and Ardagh's Global Food & Specialty business), with 7,200 employees across 60+ locations worldwide and a confirmed active facility in Newton, NC. This is not Trivium Corporate Center (Hickory business park) and not Trivium Meadows/Townhomes (Newton residential) — three separate things.
Hickory · Wholesale grocery distributor
Founded in Hickory in 1931. Parent company Alex Lee, Inc.; announced a $35 million expansion creating 125 jobs in 2022.
Hickory · Foodservice distribution
Major national foodservice distributor (NYSE: PFGC). Has operated a distribution center in Hickory since acquiring Institution Food House (IFH) in 2019.
Newton · Regional distribution center
1.6 million square foot regional distribution center at 1880 Stover Court, Newton, NC, near the Highway 10/US-321 interchange. Officially opened August 2009. Approximately 500 employees.
Claremont · Meat/prepared foods processing
Active meat and prepared foods processing plant at 3437 E Main St, Claremont, NC 28610. Distinct from Tyson's much larger Wilkesboro poultry complex in Wilkes County, which is not a Catawba County employer.
Claremont · Optical fiber manufacturer
World leader in energy and telecom cable systems, with an optical fiber plant in Claremont that has operated 30+ years. In August 2026, Governor Josh Stein announced a $1 billion+ expansion adding 385 new jobs — the largest manufacturing project in Catawba County history. It breaks down into $1.02 billion for a new fiber operations plant (300 jobs) and $48 million for a cable operations plant (85 jobs), expanding the campus by roughly 900,000–975,000 sq ft, with groundbreaking mid-September 2026 and completion targeted for 2030. This supersedes an earlier, smaller 2025 expansion phase. See Governor Stein's August 2026 announcement and Prysmian's Claremont fiber and cable plant breakdown.
Claremont · Packaging manufacturer
Manufacturing facility at 2690 Kelly Blvd, Claremont, NC 28610, part of the global Smurfit WestRock packaging company.
Hickory · Adhesive tape manufacturer
Fifth-generation family-owned business headquartered in Hickory and maker of Duck Tape, FrogTape, T-Rex Tape, and other brands, tracing back to Shuford Mills (founded 1880). As of 2017 (most recent public figures): $650 million revenue and 1,500+ employees; opened a distribution center in Catawba, NC in 2020 and expanded with a manufacturing facility in 2023.
Claremont (local facilities) · Network infrastructure / telecommunications manufacturer
Founded in Hickory in 1976 and still a major local manufacturer with facilities in the area. Corporate headquarters is now in Richardson, Texas as of November 1, 2025 — not Hickory and not Claremont.
Tyson Foods (Wilkesboro complex) (Wilkesboro (Wilkes County — NOT Catawba County)): Tyson's much larger poultry-processing complex (2,000–2,400+ employees) is roughly 30–40 miles from Hickory in Wilkes County — not Catawba County. It is distinct from Tyson's Claremont plant listed above.
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