Unicoi County Economic and Community Development

05/28/2026

What was once a reminder of devastation is now becoming a symbol of renewal. 🌱

Unicoi County Economic & Community Development recently completed a major tree planting and riverbank restoration project along the Nolichucky River following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.

Over two volunteer days, community members planted more than 1,400 trees along the damaged riverbank near Blue Ridge Paddling and Riverview Baptist Church, along with 30 larger mature trees to help stabilize the soil immediately. Visible from I-26, the newly planted riverbank now stands as a powerful symbol of healing in what was once the epicenter of the disaster.

Additional trees were also planted in downtown Erwin as part of the county’s continued recovery and beautification efforts.

Thank you to the Nolichucky Restoration Project, Unicoi County High School SADD and FFA students, Keeping the Valley Beautiful, Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry, UT Extension, and every volunteer who helped bring new life back to this area.

Check out this press release from The Erwin Record for the full story! https://erwinrecord.net/news/374981/unicoi-county-ecd-leads-1400-tree-restoration-along-nolichucky-riverbank/

This is more than a conservation project. It is proof of the resilience, heart, and determination of our community.

05/13/2026

Today’s announcement regarding the closure of Tsubaki Nakashima is heartbreaking news for many families in Unicoi County. It also marks the end of a long history of precision steel ball and roller manufacturing in Erwin.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the employees, their families, and everyone impacted by this decision. These are our friends, neighbors, and community members, and we know this creates real uncertainty and concern.

In response, we are already working with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development to coordinate support services and job placement assistance for affected employees. We are also encouraging impacted workers to attend the regional job fair scheduled for May 28 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Armory, where employers from across the region will be hiring.

At the same time, we want our community to know that Unicoi County’s industrial future remains strong.

Even in the wake of the flood and today’s difficult announcement, companies across our county are continuing to invest, expand, and create jobs:

• BWXT(NFS) announced 198 new jobs last fall.
• We recruited Conrad Embroidery Company last year, and they are already expanding in Erwin with long-term plans for significant job growth.
• We are actively working with another existing industry to help them remain and expand in Unicoi County.
• Existing industries in our industrial park are not only recovering, but projecting substantial long-term growth over the next five years.

Based on current projections, even with the Tsubaki Nakashima closure, Unicoi County is still positioned to have between 214 and 334 more industrial jobs in 2030 than it had in September 2024.

Unicoi County has been tested repeatedly over the last several years, but time and time again this community has shown resilience, determination, and grit. We are not standing still. We are working every day to support displaced workers, retain existing businesses, and recruit new opportunities that will strengthen our local economy for years to come.

Today is a hard day. But it is not the end of our story.

04/22/2026

This month, PolyPipe celebrated their grand reopening in Erwin’s industrial park. This event marks a major milestone in the recovery that seemed so uncertain a year and a half ago.

After the events of September 27, 2024, economic development in our community changed overnight. What followed was an all-hands effort to stabilize the industrial base, retain jobs, and build a path forward where none clearly existed. That work required constant coordination, direct engagement with industry partners, securing state support, and navigating the challenges of reopening an industrial park in the middle of widespread devastation.

Through that effort, critical resources were brought into our community, including millions in state investment to help retain manufacturing jobs—the first assistance package of its kind in Tennessee. We worked closely alongside Deputy Governor / Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) to not only secure those resources but also to advance real solutions, such as reopening park access via a temporary road and positioning these companies to return.

Today, that work is showing results:
• Facilities reopening
• Jobs returning
• Investment moving again

We appreciate the ongoing support TNECD is providing to our community. There is a lot of work left to do but many exciting opportunities ahead. We are confident that the brightest days are ahead for our economy.

We remain focused on what comes next—continuing to support our existing industries while creating new opportunities for growth across the county.

Compared to 18 months ago (just after the Sept. 27, 2024 flood from Hurricane Helene), the half-dozen businesses in the Erwin Industrial Park and its own infrastructure look practically pristine.

02/20/2025

🚧 TEMPORARY ROAD NOW OPEN IN ERWIN’S INDUSTRIAL PARK 🚧

Great news for our community! The temporary access road in Erwin’s industrial park is officially open, restoring access to businesses impacted by the devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene.

This project was made possible thanks to funding from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), ensuring businesses can get back on track, protect local jobs, and support Unicoi County’s economy.

💬 Austin Finch, Economic Development Director: “The reopening of this road is more than just infrastructure—it’s about ensuring businesses can operate, people can work, and our economy can move forward. We’re grateful to TNECD and all partners who made this happen.”

💬 Lee Brown, Board Chair for Unicoi County Economic and Community Development & President of Erwin Utilities: “This milestone shows what strong partnerships can accomplish. Some businesses will be able to resume operations as soon as this summer, and others will follow soon after. While this is a temporary solution, we’re committed to long-term infrastructure improvements that will strengthen Unicoi County’s future.”

📢 IMPORTANT REMINDER: This road is on private property and not open for public use. Please respect the businesses as they continue their recovery efforts.

This is a major step forward, but there's still work to do. Stay tuned for updates on long-term solutions!

Temporary road's completion restores access to industrial park. The temporary road was necessary due to the uncertain timeline for reconstructing South Industrial Drive, the permanent road.

02/07/2025

We’re excited to see real progress in Erwin’s Industrial Park recovery efforts! Over the past several months, Unicoi County Economic and Community Development has been working tirelessly to find solutions to get our people back to work in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

One of the most urgent needs was restoring reliable access to businesses before the permanent road could be rebuilt. Thanks to our strong partnerships with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Appalachian Regional Commission, we secured funding to contract Baker Construction Services for a cement-stabilized temporary road—ensuring businesses can operate while long-term repairs are underway.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this happen! We’re looking forward to even more progress ahead. Stay tuned for updates! 🚜🔧