Fabrics manufacturer Saertex USA will provide up to 178 new jobs in Huntersville, N.C., through a $6.5 million investment to be made over the next three years, the Charlotte Business Journal reports.

Saertex, which is based in Germany, has had an operatin in Huntersville since 2000, the Business Journal said. The company said the expansion is due to an increase in demand for energy-efficient lightweight fabrics used in the aerospace, automotive, and ship-building industries.

Saertex received a $110,000 state grant from Gov. Bev Perdue’s office to help facilitate the expansion.

“Creating jobs remains my number one priority, especially in fast-growing sectors such as the green economy,” Perdue says. “High-tech manufacturers continue to be attracted to North Carolina by our skilled workforce and top-ranked business climate. Today’s announcement, and others like it, confirm the top national economic rankings that keep rolling in for North Carolina.”

According to the Business Journal, the average annual salary for the various positions will be $41,506, excluding benefits, which is slightly below the county average of $48,776.