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Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Honda Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of American Honda Motors Inc. and the manufacturer of the new HondaJet, will expand its facilities and land usage at Piedmont Triad International (PTI) Airport by constructing a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) center on its campus.
The company’s new $20 million MRO facility is part of a broader plan to create 419 new jobs and invest a total of $78.7 million during the next five years in Guilford County. The project was made possible in part by a $1 million grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“My top priority is creating jobs and it’s clear that we’ve got momentum when global companies like Honda Aircraft Company decide to expand operations in North Carolina,” said Gov. Perdue. “We are attracting companies because of our skilled workforce and excellent business climate. This will enhance our aerospace cluster in the Triad.”
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average wage for the new jobs will be $53,418, plus benefits. The Guilford County average annual wage is $39,520. New job creation will come from ramp-up of HondaJet production at Honda Aircraft and from the new MRO service operation.
In 2007, Honda Aircraft Company announced its decision to locate its headquarters, research and development center and assembly facility in Greensboro. In 2009, Gov. Perdue met with Honda executives during an economic development mission in Asia to discuss expansion opportunities for Honda Aircraft in North Carolina.
“We intend to offer HondaJet customers an overall ownership experience that is second to none in business aviation and one that is commensurate with all the best attributes of Honda,” said Michimasa Fujino, President and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company. “After a rigorous evaluation of site alternatives, we concluded that we could best serve our customers and complement our HondaJet dealer service facilities by placing our MRO facility here in North Carolina, where we are delighted to begin writing this next chapter of our growth. This will also reinforce Honda’s contribution and support of state and regional efforts to continue developing the aviation and aerospace cluster in the Piedmont Triad Region.”
The One North Carolina Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.
North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
Through use of the One North Carolina Fund, more than 50,000 jobs and $9 billion in investment have been announced since 2001. Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Community Colleges, Guilford County, City of Greensboro, Golden LEAF, Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance.
For more information about the HondaJet aircraft and Honda Aircraft Company, including job opportunities, go to www.hondajet.com.
