Airbus announced Thursday that as part of their plan to ramp up A320 Family aircraft production to 63 per month in 2021, they will increase the production rate at their Mobile, Alabama manufacturing facility.
On Thursday, Airbus announced that they will increase their investment and expand production at their Mobile, Alabama manufacturing facility in the U.S. The expansion is part of the company’s plans to produce 63 Airbus A320 Family aircraft per month by 2021. With Thursday’s announcement, the Mobile facility will be expected to produce seven A320 Family aircraft per month. The increased production, along with the continued recruitment of A220 team members will result in the addition of 275 new jobs. Airbus will also invest $40M in the construction of an additional support hangar on the site.
The company has already invested over $1B in its Mobile, Alabama facility and added 600 new jobs in 2019 alone. Airbus will also produce four A220 Family aircraft per month in Mobile by the middle of the decade, bringing the facility’s annual production to over 130 aircraft. In Thursday’s announcement, Airbus Americas’ Chairman and CEO, C. Jeffrey Knittel said,
“Airbus has been manufacturing in the U.S. for many years now through our helicopter, aircraft and satellite products. This increase in commercial aircraft production in Mobile is an exciting expansion of our significant industrial development in the U.S., and it continues Airbus’ positive contribution to American aerospace.”
Mr. Knittel continued,
We have invested more than $1 billion in Mobile because of the terrific team of employees there – and because of the support and welcome we continue to receive from the Gulf Coast community and State and Congressional leaders like Senator Richard Shelby, who has been with us from the beginning. We look forward to building on that strong relationship with our neighbors. This goes beyond jobs to include our support of education initiatives and future workforce development that will positively impact the community for decades to come along the Gulf Coast.”
Airbus has a substantial U.S. footprint, employing around 4,000 people at 38 locations in 16 states. Over the last three years, the company has spent around $50B in the U.S. with 450 suppliers supporting over 275K American jobs. In 2020, Airbus will open their newest final assembly line for the A220 in Mobile and deliver their first American-made A220. Additionally, in summer 2020, the company will deliver its 200th U.S.-built A320 Family aircraft. Airbus’ Mobile, Alabama commercial aircraft manufacturing facility opened in 2015 and by the end of this year the facility will employ around 1,300 people building A320 and A220 Family aircraft.
Source: Airbus