JetZero set to build factory in North Carolina, create nearly 15,000 jobs
A formal announcement is expected at 1 p.m. at Piedmont Triad International Airport.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — After months of speculation, JetZero will officially build its new factory in Greensboro at Piedmont Triad International Airport, a move expected to create nearly 15,000 local jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact.
The news was revealed at a meeting of the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Economic Investment Committee, which passed a motion to move the project forward. At the meeting on Thursday morning, it was revealed that 14,564 jobs will be created in Guilford County from 2027-2036 with an average wage of $89,340.
The company plans to invest $4.7 billion in Guilford County by December 31, 2036, according to the Economic Investment Committee. JetZero will receive an incentive package from the state worth $1.5 billion, as well as additional incentives from Greensboro and Guilford County.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners approved a $75 million incentive plan for JetZero at a meeting Thursday morning.
It took over a year for JetZero to find its new site. According to the Economic Investment Committee, the company required a 10,000-foot runway and the availability for additional infrastructure.
A formal announcement is expected to come at 1 p.m. from Governor Josh Stein at an event at Piedmont Triad International Airport.
JetZero, a California-based aviation company, began as a startup in 2021, but the company has since received contracts from the U.S. Air Force, United Airlines, Delta and Alaska Airlines. JetZero hasn’t produced any aircraft to this point, but it says it’s working on getting a model ready for testing in 2027.
JetZero plans to bring a new design to commercial aircraft. The company’s blended-wing-body plane aims to provide 50% better fuel efficiency over traditional commercial jets while delivering 50% lower carbon emissions. The company plans to build these aircraft at the new Greensboro factory.
The Economic Investment Committee also said JetZero will create a state-of-the-art innovation center “serving as the nation’s premier hub for stitched composite structures, driving the research, development and deployment of advanced high-performance composite materials and manufacturing methods.”
The first rumblings of JetZero’s plans to build a new factory in Greensboro began in April, when the company announced Piedmont Triad International Airport as one of five finalists for the facility. In May, JetZero said Greensboro had made it into the top three.
JetZero is the second major aviation company to put down roots in Greensboro in recent years. In 2024, Boom Supersonic opened its supersonic airliner factory near Piedmont Triad International Airport.
On Wednesday, WFMY News 2 spoke to John Boyd Jr., who works in corporate site selection with The Boyd Company, Inc., a firm that advises companies where to build their next facilities.
Boyd said JetZero’s decision to come to Greensboro could represent an economic impact of around $100-$150 billion over the next 20 years. This type of windfall could lead to more hotels, retail spaces, restaurants and other projects that would help the city thrive in the coming years.