Congressman Don Davis this morning presented a $562,500 check to the town of Scotland Neck from the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission for an alternate access road for AirBoss Rubber Compounding. 

The grant money will help redirect approximately 300 vehicles a day, including truck traffic, away from residential streets.

“We’re mighty thankful for all the cooperation and work that this has taken to get this in for AirBoss,” said Scotland Neck Mayor Pro Tem Charlie Shields. “They are a very important corporate citizen.”

Halifax County Board of Commissioners Chairman Vernon Bryant said, “We want to thank the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission for their continued investment in rural counties like Halifax County.” 

Bryant said the money is a critical piece for fully leveraging a $1.8 million funding package to support AirBoss. “The project will improve safety by redirecting approximately 300 vehicles a day, including heavy truck traffic away from residential streets. This, in turn, ensures the long-term viability of AirBoss, a major local employer, by improving site access and logistics efficiency.”

He said the investment “also supports job retention and positions the company for future growth and expansion. We always love growth and expansion.” 

The new access road off Highway 903 will reduce congestion, improve emergency response time, and enhance the quality of life for nearby residents, Bryant said. “This is a strong example of how federal, state, and regional partners are working together to deliver real infrastructure solutions in Tier 1 counties. Halifax County is committed, and I underscore committed, to continuing this partnership and supporting industry, workforce, and long-term economic growth.”

Halifax County Economic Development Director Cathy Scott said around 10 years ago, AirBoss recognized it was growing in Scotland Neck and started having some interference with truck traffic and concerns about the safety of residents on the street who entered their plant. “They came to the county and asked us to look at how there could potentially be an opportunity for an alternate access road for their facility.”

At the time, she said, the right level of funding did not immediately present itself. 

A couple of years ago, however, she had a meeting with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and asked if the agency could work with the county and town to develop a cost estimate. 

The town helped to identify a right of way it owned that could potentially be the access road. “AirBoss is continuing to grow — 105 employees — double, triple the truck traffic that was continuing to cause impacts locally.”

Scott said NCDOT came to the table with matching dollars that helped get the project approved. “That’s one of the reasons we’re here today to thank them and our congressman and everybody for working together and collaborating to make this happen. AirBoss is a tremendous part of the local economy here in Scotland Neck and to lose a company like AirBoss and their planned growth for the future would be devastating. It has definitely taken a lot of partners to bring this project to reality. We still have one more little hurdle with the Economic Development Administration — I think we’re just waiting for a signature — but we’ll wait for it. As long as it’s coming and coming soon.”

Jennifer Clyburn Reed, federal co-chair of SCRC, said the commission “is proud to have invested into this community and in such a significant manner.” She said safety was a concern in the area, especially with big trucks coming through. “We have those issues all across industrial areas so the fact we’re able to bypass that and contribute to the safety of the community is just wonderful.”

The commission has invested $53 million in 139 projects targeting job creation, infrastructure repairs, and increased access to capital. “What we did not say is that over 700 applications came in, so for this to be one of the top tier projects of the 139 is great. These investments would not be possible without the co-leadership of Governor Josh Stein and Governor Roy Cooper before him.”

Davis said, “We have to continue to embrace projects like this to create pathways. We have to expand the working class in eastern North Carolina. It’s through efforts like this that we can pay extra attention to the areas that need the most attention. That’s why I’ve been a staunch supporter of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission.”

Carl Chapman, senior vice president and general manager of AirBoss, said, “Over the last few years we’ve made quite a lot of investment in Scotland Neck. We’ve doubled the production capabilities of the facility. We’re not only investing in equipment. We’re investing in people. For the county and state to invest to help us, that’s really key. I think as everybody knows, the environment of our business is extremely competitive, so anything that we can do and work with the state to help us continue to invest in the plant, invest in jobs, and the local economy is really worthwhile.”