Charlotte region lands 80 jobs and new HQ from German manufacturer’s $19.5M deal
German manufacturer Goldhofer AG will make the Charlotte region its North American headquarters and open its first U.S. production facility with an investment of more than $19.5 million that will create 80 jobs.
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Goldhofer, which makes heavy transport and airport ground support equipment, will build an 80,000-square-foot plant at the Trivium Corporate Center in Hickory, Gov. Josh Stein’s office said Tuesday. The jobs are expected to be filled by 2030.
The average annual salary will be $63,000, Catawba County Economic Development Corp. vice president Nathan Huret told The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday. That’s over 20% higher than the county’s average wage of $52,172, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“This is the world leader in the design and production of some of the most specialized and extraordinary vehicles on earth,” Jeff Cline, chairman of the Catawba County EDC, said in a statement. “For our citizens, that means career opportunities that didn’t exist here before.”
Goldhofer CEO David Weinmann cited North Carolina’s skilled workers, infrastructure and business-friendly environment that supports manufacturing as reasons for choosing Hickory. The Catawba County city is about an hour north of Charlotte.
“When we thought about where Goldhofer needs to grow in North America, North Carolina kept rising to the top,” Weinmann said in the statement. “We’re committing to the U.S. for the long haul, and Hickory is where we will start the next chapter.”
The project is also the final piece of development for the Trivium Corporate Center. The advanced manufacturing park was part of a $40 million bond referendum passed by Hickory residents in 2014.
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“This is exactly the kind of advanced manufacturing investment that strengthens our community and creates real opportunity for our residents,” Hickory Mayor Hank Guess said in Tuesday’s statement from Catawba County Economic Development Corp.
For its investment, Goldhofer will receive state tax incentives of $200,000 from the One North Carolina Fund. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment.
A public hearing regarding local incentives for the project is scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, before the Catawba County Board of Commissioners and Hickory City Council.
The move marks a significant expansion for the firm, which traces its roots to 1705 and formal establishment in 1946. The company makes equipment such as aircraft tractors used to move planes at major global airports.
Headquartered in Memmingen, Germany, Goldhofer has about 1,000 workers companywide and annual revenue of about $350 million. The company manufacturing, service and sales operations globally include Europe, North America, India and the Middle East.
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This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 12:51 PM.
