Construction is set to begin on a major project at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. The expansion is expected to bring hundreds of jobs to the region.
HAECO Americas is building a new hangar at the airport in Guilford County. The site will be used for inspecting airplanes, maintenance and repairs.
The overall cost of the project is estimated at $60 to $70-million.
“The size and more modern nature of this hangar will make it more flexible for it to be used to maintain different airframes. The spin off from this touches the whole region,” says Kevin Baker, executive director of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority.
Company officials say around 400 jobs will be created from the expansion. Baker says there's already a skilled workforce here.
“The folks who work in the interior of an airplane may need to have cabinetry skills that were found once in the furniture industry,” says Baker. “Some of that furniture manufacturing is returning as well, which is great, but there's an overlap of skill sets in the region that this new aerospace piece can draw from.”
The Piedmont Triad Airport Authority recently approved contracts to start construction on the HAECO project. Site preparation is expected to begin within the next two weeks.
Baker says the industry continues to grow in the Triad. Honda Aero recently announced plans for a major expansion in Burlington. The company is investing $21-million in its jet engine manufacturing operations.
*You can follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news
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