UTC Aerospace Systems is expanding its Foley aerostructures facility with a new 80,000-square-foot space in which they will assemble nacelle components, which are aerodynamic covers of the jet engines, and provide propulsion system integration. The primary mission of the new facility will be to support the Airbus assembly line in Mobile, but will also support other aircraft platforms.
Around 260 jobs will be added. Plant employees will assemble aerodynamic jet engine covers primarily to support the Airbus A320 and deliver propulsion systems from the facility to the Airbus assembly line in Mobile.
Airbus recently presented an aircraft assembled in Mobile to JetBlue and officials said the company plans to deliver four A320 family aircraft per month from Mobile by the end of 2017.
The new plant will also provide support for other aircraft including Bombardier, Embraer and Mitsubishi, UTC Aerospace Systems, officials said. The North Carolina-based company already operates two facilities in Foley that collectively employ about 800 people.
“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,” Marc Duvall, president of UTC Aerospace Systems’ Aerostructures business, said in a statement as reported by The Daily Reflector.
This expansion is welcome news to Governor Robert Bently who has made the aerospace sector a key growth strategy. “Creating new jobs remains my top priority, especially in the aerospace industry which we identified as strategic in our Accelerate Alabama growth plan,” said Bently. “I commend the leaders at UTC Aerospace Systems for their investment in our state and confidence in the Alabama workforce.”
