It seems hard to imagine a group of business and industry leaders coming to the same table on a regular basis to improve education, to improve business as a whole, and to make their company’s home a better place for all that live there.  In Cleveland County, this happens nearly every day.

The leaders in the county believe that the spirit of cooperation is one reason that companies are so successful here.  You will find plants with international, national and regional operations.  Even in trying economic times, industry is choosing to relocate, expand, and build in Cleveland County.  Recently, the Wal-Mart Distribution Center opened in Shelby, Sara Lee Intimate Apparel expanded in Kings Mountain, and MRA Industries and B & W Fiber Glass announced plans to locate in Cleveland County.  These companies have discovered that the location, cooperation, and business climate in Cleveland County are ripe for industrial success.

When cotton production slowed, visionary leaders in Cleveland County realized that the key to economic success was diversity.  In 1959, PPG Industries opened a fiber glass plant in Shelby.  This plant is still extremely successful and one of the county’s largest employers.  Other industries that have stood the test of time are Copeland Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems, Mayflower Vehicle Systems, Smurfit-Stone Containers, Eaton Corporation, and Universal Manufacturing & Logistics.

In the county, you will find manufacturers of truck cabs, compact discs, transmissions, aircraft parts, ceramic capacitor material, electric motors and production equipment, as well as some specialized textile companies.

Gross retail sales for Cleveland County exceed $1 billion a year. The major retail areas are the Cleveland Mall, with large retailers such as Sears, Belk, and Goody's; and the Kings Mountain, Boiling Springs and Uptown Shelby areas, which boast specialty shops and an abundance of restaurants.  In Cleveland County, you can eat or shop at a well-known establishment or choose one of our independently-owned restaurants or shops.

Agriculture continues to be an important part of the county’s economy.   Major crops are fescue for hay and grazing, soybeans, wheat, cotton, alfalfa, tomatoes, and summer squash.  In addition, apples, peaches, and various small fruits and greenhouse crops are produced.  The animal enterprises primarily consist of beef cattle, dairy, broilers, and turkeys.  Cleveland County also has a few dairy farms still in operation.