Greensboro-based TIMCO Aviation Services Inc., which opened a 120,000-square-foot aircraft seat manufacturing plant in Wallburg in 2011, is seeking to rezone six acres of land it owns around the building to add some amenities that would serve employees, suppliers and the community.
TIMCO’s plan to rezone the property at the corner of N.C. Highway 109 and Gumtree Road from limited industrial to a community shopping designation is part of a master plan by the company to create an aircraft interiors campus that would house employees, engineers and vendors needed for a supply chain supporting the production of interiors and seats.
The company wants to eventually add 500,000 square feet of space and 500 full-time jobs over a seven-year period. TIMCO, which has 68 acres to expand on in Wallburg, currently employs about 175 people at the facility.
Guy Cornman, planning director for Davidson County, said the Wallburg Planning Board already has provided a favorable recommendation to rezone the land to allow for a range of possible uses — from an urgent care facility to retail shops. The Wallburg Town Council is expected to consider the rezoning Tuesday evening.
If approved, TIMCO plans to sell the land to developers, who could construct buildings and lease space to a variety of small businesses, said Kip Blakely, TIMCO’s vice president of industry and government relations.
Davdson County officials have expressed support for TIMCO’s expansion plan, saying that an urgent care facility or pharmacy would benefit residents who often leave the county for services.
TIMCO is also considering a hangar project at the Piedmont Triad International Airport that would add 400 jobs.