Area Development
American Racing Headers & Exhaust, Inc., a leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of stainless-steel headers and exhaust system components, will locate a new manufacturing facility in Stanly County, North Carolina. The $4.37 million project will create 63 new jobs in the Charlotte region.

The company’s project in Stanly County will bring a 50,000 square foot or larger facility to the area, combining both manufacturing and corporate office functions at the site.

“We selected Stanly County and the Charlotte area because our company has always held a deep-seated desire to be located in the heart of racing country,” said Nick Filippides, Owner/Operator of American Racing Headers. “ARH looks forward to joining and strengthening the fabric of what makes the region so unique to motorsports.”

A performance-based grant of $175,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate American Racing Headers’ expansion in Stanly County. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“Motorsports are one of North Carolina’s signature industries,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Manufacturers serving this industry must meet high standards for precision manufacturing, and North Carolina’s workforce training programs are designed to deliver the skilled workers manufacturers like ARH need to succeed.”

Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority, the Town of Stanfield, Stanly County, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, and the Stanly County Economic Development Commission.