Germany-Based Goldhofer Plans Hickory, North Carolina, Production Operations

Area Development News Desk

07/03/2026

Germany-based heavy transport equipment manufacturer Goldhofer Inc. plans to establish operations in Hickory, North Carolina. The more than $19.5 million project is expected to create 80 jobs in Catawba County.

The investment will include the construction of an 80,000-square-foot production facility at Trivium Corporate Center that will manufacture heavy-duty mechanical and self-propelled trailers along with airport ground support equipment.

“When we thought about where Goldhofer needs to grow in North America, North Carolina kept rising to the top. Skilled people, solid infrastructure, and a business environment that supports manufacturing. We’re committing to the US for the long haul, and Hickory is where we will start the next chapter,” said David Weinmann, CEO of Goldhofer Inc.

To support the project a performance-based grant of $200,000 from the One North Carolina Fund has been awarded. 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 matching participation from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“German companies and North Carolina share a commitment to workforce development,” noted N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Combined with our East Coast location and our exceptional quality of life, our continued investments in talent and innovation position North Carolina to attract and grow foreign investment for years to come.”

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), other partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba County, Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, and the City of Hickory.

"There is simply no company quite like Goldhofer anywhere in our region," added Jeff Cline, Chair of the Catawba County EDC Board of Directors. "This is the world leader in the design and production of some of the most specialized and extraordinary vehicles on earth, from the heaviest industrial transport equipment to the aircraft tractors that move planes at the world's busiest airports. For our citizens, that means career opportunities that didn't exist here before, and we couldn't be more proud to call them neighbors."

Goldhofer is a manufacturer of heavy-duty transport equipment and airport ground support vehicles for infrastructure, energy, defense, and aviation applications. The company’s operations include the design and manufacturing of self-propelled modular transporters, heavy-duty trailers, and towbarless aircraft tractors.

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