A Texas jet assembler is moving its operation to Horry County with the promise of creating 200 jobs in the next few years.

AvCraft Aviation will initially bring about 40 jobs when it leases three hangars at the Myrtle Beach International Airport with an option on a fourth, county leaders said. The company has promised to grow to about 200 jobs in five years.

With the manufacturing decline nationwide, companies such as AvCraft, with between 200 and 400 jobs, likely will be the ones Horry County banks on, said Horry County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland. The county has long struggled to supplement its tourism-based economy with a stronger manufacturing presence.

Gov. Mark Sanford will join local elected leaders and others Monday at the airport to announce the deal. Officials at AvCraft in Tyler, Texas, couldn't be reached this week.

The company, which installs interiors and puts the finishing touches on jets, will make use of empty hangars that aren't generating anything for the county.

And by servicing corporate jets, the company could attract more business to the area, Gilland said.

"I think this is a strong, positive acquisition of a new industry here," she said. "It's a real good thing for Horry County."

AvCraft will lease three hangars from the county for $2 a square foot. The Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority is kicking in about $750,000 to upgrade the hangars to meet AvCraft's needs.

"All in all it will be a fair deal because those buildings now are just sitting there empty," County Councilman Marion Foxworth said.

The county has had some trouble with two of its hangars. A dispute emerged earlier this year between county leaders and a contractor and a door maker after problems with the installation.

Doors had blown off, and the replacement doors wouldn't fit on the hinges.

Two hangers, with a $1.2 million pricetag, were built to house private airplanes, whose owners would pay to store them.

The county needs to do what it can, including leasing to AvCraft at such a low rate, to get something from the hangars, Horry County Councilman Harold Worley said.

"Those buildings are sitting there not making a penny," he said. "We need to utilize those empty buildings."

AvCraft discovered the county and met with locals to hash out details of what it would take to come here, Gilland said.

Leaders from the state, county, city, Partners Economic Development Corp. and the Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority are expected at Monday's announcement.