Airbus will launch a new aircraft assembly and delivery plant in the United States.
Located in Mobile, Alabama, the new factory will become the company’s first US-based production facility, giving it a vital step into the Boeing-dominated US market.
Airbus said that the assembly line is part of a “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 narrow-body A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. Construction of the assembly line will begin in summer 2013 and aircraft assembly is planned to start in 2015, with first deliveries expected to begin in 2016. Airbus expects the facility will produce 40-50 aircraft per year by 2018.
“The time is right for Airbus to expand in America,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus’ President & CEO, who was speaking at the launch event in Alabama. “The US 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. Mobile is now becoming part of Airbus’ global production network, joining our successful and growing assembly lines in Hamburg, Toulouse and Tianjin.”
Airbus already operates an engineering facility in Mobile – also located at Brookley Aeroplex – as well as an Airbus Military customer services operation supporting US Coast Guard aircraft. In addition, Airbus operates an engineering centre in Kansas, an aircraft spares centre in Virginia and a training facility in Florida.
