Jobs in Durham NC Created by Car Manufacturer

One local company that makes parts for a well-known car company will soon create hundreds of jobs in Durham NC (Click here).

After receiving a new contract from Toyota, AW North Carolina recently announced that it will add hundreds of jobs during the next two years and invest more than $100 million in the company's Durham plant.

The contract will allow AW North Carolina to add a production line dedicated to making transmissions for may of Toyota's passenger vehicles. Those transmissions are currently made in Japan by Toyota and Aisin AW, the parent company of AW North Carolina.

AW North Carolina opened its Durham factory in 2000. The factory currently makes transmissions for Toyota's heavier, rear-wheel drive vehicles, as well as components for the Camry and other select models.

"Our credibility's been good with Toyota, and they've been very satisfied with our past performance," Will Collins, vice president of AW North Carolina, told The News & Observer. "It's just kind of a reinforcement that our team members are earning these projects."

AW North Carolina, which currently employs about 900 workers, expects to add up to 360 jobs during the next two years as part of the deal. Hiring will begin in spring 2011 for the new production team jobs, which will pay from $11.50 per hour to $16.30 per hour.

Although AW North Carolina is not receiving any funding from the One North Carolina Fund or a Job Development Investment Grant, the company will be eligible for some job-creation tax credits and worker-training assistance.

There are about 160 companies that make and assembler various types of motor vehicles throughout North Carolina. According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, those companies employed more than 17,000 people during 2008.