In a region that has lost many textile and furniture manufacturing jobs to outsourcing and globalization, Caldwell County Economic Development Commission announces a major success developing an aviation business in western North Carolina. VX Aerospace Corporation, an advanced composites manufacturing facility, plans to hire 500 employees over the next five years.

 VX Aerospace Corporation, the new anchor tenant in Foothills Regional Airport's 800-acre industrial park, symbolizes the successful collaboration of the four owners of the airport property. Caldwell County, Burke County and the cities of Morganton and Lenoir worked together for nearly two years to attract and pave the way for the new composites manufacturer to open for business in the western North Carolina region. Robert Skillen, CEO of VX Aerospace, stated that the level of support and cooperation from the four municipalities was "astonishing."

"Developing an aviation business in western North Carolina, a region where traditional textile and furniture manufacturing jobs have been lost to outsourcing and globalization, is a major accomplishment for this area." explains Alan Wood, senior project manager of Caldwell County Economic Development Commission. VX Aerospace plans to hire up to 500 employees over the next five years.

All new employees at the advanced composites manufacturing facility receive AS-9100 certification training through a new industrial training program offered by N.C. State university system and Western Piedmont Community College. The certification is a worldwide quality management standard for aerospace manufacturing that qualifies VX Aerospace to bid on government and military contracts around the world.

"We hope to use the successes of composite manufacturer VX Aerospace Corporation to recruit other industries of this type to the region," Wood explains. "The success VX had in finding and re-training quality employees should put us in good stead for recruiting other industries. We look forward to remaining at the forefront of this industry."

VX Aerospace has a broad range of composites manufacturing capabilities including:

Prototype or high rate production of composite parts or assemblies

Composite structures non-destructive and sample coupon testing and verification

Computer pattern nesting, CNC cutting and knitting of virtually any fabric or fabric/resin matrix for high speed, high quality composites production

High temperature computer-controlled vacuum curing of composite laminates in a 40’x12’x8’ oven

Environmentally controlled clean room production part and tool laminating

Rapid CNC fabrication of tooling and tooling master plugs to high tolerances

Tooling and production of composite parts using all processes available, including prepreg laminating, vacuum infusion, and resin transfer moulding