Cabarrus County has developed a diverse and growing roster of technology-oriented enterprises.

The community's deep roots in motorsports have spawned numerous innovations, and NASCAR's popularity has propelled local company Racing Electronics from a home basement operation to a global leader in race communications technology.

The company, with headquarters and manufacturing operations in Concord, offers products for fans who want to get close to all the strategic goings-on and heated moments of NASCAR racing action. The product lineup includes scanners, scanner headphones, two-way radios, stop watches, two-way headsets and cables, race car wiring and equipment cases that, among other things, let users listen to conversations and communications between drivers, crew chiefs and spotters.

But NASCAR racing certainly isn't the only industry in which Cabarrus County companies are technologically connected. FireFold is a Concord-based online e-commerce company that offers thousands of networking, audio/video and communication products for homes and businesses. The company's product line includes in-wall speakers, remotes and antennas, switches, computer cables, converters and adapters, speaker wire and wall furniture.

“For the local Cabarrus County market, we also have a retail storefront where customers can pick up their products, but most of our overall business originates online,” says Jennie Burns, public relations director for FireFold. “We also do computer support for small businesses, and audio and video installations for customers within the Concord and Charlotte metropolitan region.”

Burns says FireFold sells most of its products to do-it-yourselfers.

“HD microphone cables that measure about six feet long are our biggest seller, with many people using those as part of a home theater system they build for themselves,” she says. “We deal with manufacturers throughout the country who ship their products directly to us, and then we ship the products to customers nationally and internationally. At our Concord site, we probably have 2,000 popular parts already in stock related to the audio and video industries, and we can ship those parts in a moment's notice.”

FireFold has 40 employees and has been in existence since January 2005.

“We chose to locate in Cabarrus County because it is an up-and-coming community, plus no other companies in this area provide a similar service to what we do,” Burns says. “Our company offers networking, audio/video and communication products at the lowest prices, and most of our products are shipped to customers the same day they are ordered.”