UTC Aerospace Systems expands in southwest Alabama, adding 260 jobs
UTC Aerospace Systems announced Tuesday that it is expanding its existing footprint in Foley, Alabama by adding a new manufacturing facility. Slated to open in second-quarter of 2017, the $30 million facility is estimated to bring 260 new jobs to southwest Alabama’s Baldwin County. The new 80,000 square-foot building will house the assembly of nacelle components and propulsion system integration. “This expansion is a great opportunity to expand our ability to apply our innovative nacelle technology to one of the world’s most popular airplanes,” Marc Duvall, president of UTC Aerospace Systems’ Aerostructures business, said in a statement. “We chose Foley to expand because of its proven track record of performance, our desire to be near a key customer, and the tremendous cooperation we’ve had from the state, county and the city.” The Foley facility is a leader in UTC Aerospace Systems’ drive to operate the most efficient factories in the industry through its relentless application of continuous improvement principles. UTC Aerospace Systems’ Aerostructures business currently operates two collocated facilities in Foley: a 220,000-square foot original equipment plant employing approximately 600 people and an adjacent 210,000-square foot maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility employing about 200 people. Gov. Robert Bentley praised the news in a statement “The UTC Aerospace Systems facility in Foley is one of the company’s most innovative and productive operations, and I welcome this significant expansion, which will add new capabilities and expand its Alabama workforce,” Bentley said. “Creating new jobs remains my top priority, especially in the aerospace industry which we identified as strategic in our Accelerate Alabama growth plan. I commend the leaders at UTC Aerospace Systems for their investment in our state and confidence in the Alabama workforce.” Other Alabama politicians were quick to echo their support. “Today’s announcement that UTC Aerospace Systems plans an expansion of its facilities in Foley reaffirms UTC’s commitment to Southwest Alabama and serves to further demonstrate the excellence of the region as a home for high-tech manufacturers,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions. “UTC’s expansion will add 260 Alabamians to its employment rolls to produce aerospace components for nearby Airbus and other aerospace manufacturers. The workforce and environment for manufacturing in Alabama are second to none, and our partnerships with UTC, Airbus, and other global manufacturing leaders will continue to reap benefits to our communities and provide good jobs for Alabamians.” “I want to commend UTC Aerospace for reaffirming and expanding their commitment to Baldwin County and their operations in Foley,” Congressman Bradley Byrne weighed in. “Today’s news is an important reminder that the economic impact of the Airbus manufacturing facility is not just limited to Mobile. I truly believe Southwest Alabama is on the path to becoming one of the major aviation hubs in the United States, and it is a testament to the great people who make up our workforce.” With an increased workforce of more than 1,000 employees at the Foley site, the expansion will help the company support multiple airplane platforms including the Airbus A320, the Bombardier CSeries, the Embraer E2 and Mitsubishi Regional Jet, though its primary mission will be to service the Airbus final assembly line in Mobile. “UTC’s expansion project is more evidence that Alabama is primed for aerospace growth as Airbus ramps up production in Mobile,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “By adding new capabilities at its Baldwin County facility, UTC is solidifying its position as a pillar in an expanding aerospace corridor.” The current UTC facility in Foley employs around 800 people, making it one of the largest aerospace companies operating in the state.
Bradley Byrne: Good news for southwest Alabama’s aviation industry
At the APM Container Terminal in downtown Mobile on Sunday, the first parts for the new Airbus A320 assembly line arrived. Local residents lined the streets as the parts paraded from the Port of Mobile to the Airbus facility at Brookley Field. Just a few days prior to the ceremony, I was in France for the 2015 Paris Air Show. The Air Show is the premier aviation event in the world that brings thousands of companies, industry leaders, and elected officials together and allows companies to show off their latest products. I traveled to the Air Show with a delegation from Alabama that included Sens. Shelby and Sessions, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, and economic development officials from across Southwest Alabama. Our top priority was to sell Alabama as a great place for new businesses to locate, and we had great success. On the first day of the Air Show, Hutchinson Aerospace announced they would be opening an aerospace manufacturing center of excellence that would employ approximately 100 people. Hutchinson will provide a number of important repair and service functions for the new Airbus aircraft, but they also plan to expand their services beyond just Airbus. Next, MAAS Aviation announced that they will build a $39 million aerospace paint facility in Mobile, creating 80 jobs. MAAS already has a separate paint facility that will do the paint work for all the Airbus planes, but this facility will allow the company to expand operations to other companies all across the southeast. Towards the end of the air show, we received word that Messier-Bugatti-Dowty would be opening a facility in Mobile to do work on aircraft brake systems and landing gear. They will provide direct support to Airbus, but, like the other companies, they plan to expand operations to other companies. While a lot of the media attention was focused on Airbus and the major announcements, I also spent a lot of time visiting with companies that are already located in our area like UTC Aerospace Systems in Foley, VT Aerospace in Mobile, and Muskogee Technology in Atmore. VT Aerospace is a company based in Singapore that has been a catalyst to Mobile’s rise on the aviation scene. While I was at the Air Show, we announced the formation of a bipartisan Singapore Caucus to highlight the strong partnership between the United States and Singapore, and I specifically wanted to point out the impact Singapore-based companies are having in the United States. I also had the opportunity to accompany the team from Muskogee Technology as they met with a prospective new customer. Muskogee is a wonderful success story of a home grown business that has really seen their operations expand due to Alabama’s rise in the aviation sector. They are owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and have been around for over twenty years. They are starting to get more involved with making parts and composites for the aviation industry, and they were really making a name for themselves at the air show. There were some other big announcements from the air show as it related to aviation companies in North Alabama, and I expect that we will continue to hear good news based on the relationships we were able to build in Paris. As the first parts arrived last weekend for the Airbus facility in Mobile, I again realized the immense potential our area has when it comes to the aviation industry. Our skilled workforce, strategic location, and favorable labor laws will continue to make Southwest Alabama a premier location for aviation businesses to locate. This is such an exciting time for our area. Bradley Byrne is represents Alabama’s 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
