A version of the following article appeared in the July 27, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Honeywell CEO: Charlotte remains a good long-term bet for jobs and growth; touts AI as solving worker shortage
Honeywell Technologies CEO Vimal Kapur (center) celebrates the ringing of the closing bell on the NASDAQ exchange on Thursday at the company’s uptown headquarters. (Photo courtesy of Honeywell Technologies)
by Tony Mecia
Vimal Kapur isn’t exactly a household name in Charlotte.
But he’s the CEO of one of the largest Charlotte-based Fortune 500 companies, Honeywell Technologies. You’ve probably seen the company’s building on Mint Street, across from Bank of America Stadium.
On Thursday, Kapur led company leaders in ringing the NASDAQ closing bell from their headquarters to celebrate its first earnings announcement as a standalone company after it split into three to allow each company to focus on its strengths. In the 2Q, the Honeywell Technologies segment reported profits were up 9%, to $985M, on $5.2B in revenue.
Honeywell Technologies makes software, automation systems and industrial technologies that help businesses run factories, buildings and critical infrastructure more efficiently.
After the ceremony, Kapur spoke with reporters about the company's future, Charlotte and the broader economy. A few of the highlights:
◼️ Charlotte is a long-term bet. Asked about hiring, Kapur noted Honeywell has added 1,100 jobs in Charlotte over the past seven years and expects continued growth, even if it's too early to predict where future jobs will land. “Jobs will get added in the U.S. It's hard for me to be a futurist to say which city will get how many, but everybody will benefit from that. I mean, a growth-oriented company creates jobs. [The] short answer is we're going to grow. Specifics are hard to point to at this point of time.”
◼️ He’s big on Charlotte. Kapur, who said Charlotte is the seventh city and third country he's lived in, praised its mix of big-city amenities and quality of life: “What I like about Charlotte is it's a small city with all the capabilities or all the facilities of a big city, and finding that balance is hard. ... It provides a lot of opportunity for growth for our people.”
◼️ AI is reshaping industrial companies. Kapur said manufacturers increasingly face a shortage of skilled workers, making automation and artificial intelligence essential. "Our customers' No. 1 issue is lack of skilled people," he said, describing how Honeywell is building tools that allow "a lesser-skilled person" to perform work that previously required more expertise.
◼️ Upbeat on economy. Pointing to strong demand for AI infrastructure, Kapur said, "It's doing well, as you can see from our numbers," adding that inflation remains a factor but "that's not slowing down the demand because people are still building for long-term assets for future needs."
Kapur also said Honeywell felt a responsibility to showcase Charlotte by hosting the NASDAQ ceremony here rather than in New York, saying the event highlighted not only
the company but also the city itself.