News

$1.9M grant will help new BorgWarner plant

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 19, 2026

The city of Hendersonville has received a $1,862,000 grant to support infrastructure improvements that will serve the BorgWarner plant currently under construction off McMurray Road, the governor's office announced.

Upgrades will include a 20,000-linear-foot looped extension of a 12-inch water main, which will enhance available fire flow for the sprinkler system and provide continuity of service by establishing redundant water feed to the site. The overall project is expected include a private investment of $100 million and  378 jobs paying $67,047 a year.

Gov. Josh Stein on Thursday announced that North Carolina’s Rural Infrastructure Authority had approved eight grant requests for local governments totaling $4,085,208. Hendersonville's grant was by far the largest. The grants include commitments to create a total of 396 jobs, 300 of which were previously announced. As a result of these grants, the additional investment in these projects, from private and public sources, is expected to reach more than $126.2 million.

“North Carolina’s small towns continue to attract investment because they are great places to live, raise a family, and do business,” Stein said. “These grants contribute to our state’s positive momentum by making necessary infrastructure improvements that will bring good-paying jobs and help communities thrive.”

The RIA is supported by the rural economic development team at the North Carolina Department of Commerce. RIA members review and approve funding requests from local communities. Funding comes from a variety of specialized grant and loan programs offered and managed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, which is led by Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Reginald Speight. Grants support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, building expansion, building demolition, and site improvements.