The facility will be located at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama, and will be the company's first US-based production facility. Airbus says that this is part of its strategy to enhance Airbus' global competitiveness by meeting the growing needs of its customers in the United States and elsewhere.
The facility in Alabama will assemble the range of A319, A320 and A321 aircraft and construction of the assembly line will begin in summer 2013, with aircraft assembly planned to start in 2015, and first deliveries from the Mobile facility beginning in 2016. Airbus anticipates the facility will produce between 40 and 50 aircraft per year by 2018.
"The time is right for Airbus to expand in America," said Fabrice Bregier, Airbus president & CEO at the announcement today in Mobile. "The U.S. is the largest single-aisle aircraft market in the world – with a projected need for 4,600 aircraft over the next 20 years – and this assembly line brings us closer to our customers."
Airbus already operates an Engineering Centre in Mobile – also located at Brookley Aeroplex and employing more than 200 engineers and support staff – as well as an Airbus Military customer services operation supporting U.S. Coast Guard aircraft.
The new Mobile assembly line, together with associated functions, should create as many as 1,000 new jobs.
