Start-up businesses can be a risky proposition, especially in the costly, unpredictable world of aircraft maintenance. Triad Business Journal reporter Katie Arcieri has followed the birth and flourishing of one such start up – North State Aviation at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. She speaks with Justin Catanoso for this week's Business Report.
North State Aviation maintains and repairs airplanes for major airlines, like United Airlines. Among the services it provides is interior modifications, installing entertainment systems, and system checks. Arcieri says there's always a risk with start-up companies, but North State has been a success.
"The owners of this company really believe that there was going to be demand for North State Aviation," says Arcieri. "Part of the reason is because a lot of airlines are outsourcing maintenance work to third parties and are focusing on their core competencies of flying passengers."
Acieri says the aviation sector is getting stronger in the Triad. North State is joining the ranks of Honda Aircraft Co. and Haeco Americans (formerly Timco).
"This is really raising the profile of Smith Reynolds Airport. North State Aviation is becoming one of the biggest employers. They have 380 employees and growing," says Acieri.
The company employees more than 380 full-time jobs--many of those highly skilled and highly paid. That exceeds its original estimate of just over 300.
The Business Report on 88.5 WFDD is a partnership with the Triad Business Journal. You'll find Owen Covington's story and more breaking business news at Triad.Bizjournals.com.
Justin Catanoso is director of the Journalism program at Wake Forest University and a regular contributor to 88.5 WFDD.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story mistakenly identified the company as North Star.
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