In Colbert County, Alabama, AE Industrial Partners is transforming a former industrial facility into a high-tech center of innovation for aerospace and defense companies. Located in rural Cherokee, the project has been dubbed the AE Shoals Manufacturing & Technology Center.
AE Industrial Partners acquired the 638-acre site from the Retirement Systems of Alabama earlier this year. Previous tenants of the 2.27 million-square-foot industrial space include National Steel Car, Navistar and Freight Car America.
“I grew up in Huntsville, Alabama and so I feel a sense of pride and responsibility in this new position,” said John Ofenloch, the new president of AE Shoals Manufacturing & Technology Center. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to get involved in the community and establish Northwestern Alabama as an aerospace manufacturing corridor.
“With a focus on national defense and aerospace, our goal is to bring high-quality manufacturing jobs to the Shoals,” he continued. “We aim to attract long-term tenants where we can have a multi-generational impact on the people in our community.”
According to Ofenloch, the region has much to offer tenants.
“The Shoals’ strengths and resources start with the people, and we have seen amazing support from the community, including the Shoals Economic Development Authority, the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, and the Northwest Shoals Community College,” he said. “Additionally, the AE Shoals facility has unique proximity and access to Mississippi and Tennessee via rail, road and the Tennessee River.”
The AE Shoals Manufacturing & Technology Center will be a catalyst for job growth throughout the region, according to Brenda Tuck, Rural Development Manager for the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“The companies that locate in this state-of-the-art facility will bring fresh innovation and advanced technology,” she said. “They will have a major impact throughout the global aerospace industry, and rural Alabama is at the center of that strategy.”
More Aerospace Growth In Mobile: Airbus Update
Meanwhile at Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, an expansion project that will double the production space at Airbus’ U.S. Manufacturing Facility is on schedule for completion next year. Airbus will add 1,000 jobs in Mobile through the expansion.
Airbus recently held a “topping out” ceremony for a new A320 Final Assembly Line (FAL) that’s under construction as the centerpiece of the expansion project, which was launched in 2022.
In addition, construction was recently completed on two new paint shops at Airbus’ Mobile campus. Located on the west side of campus, these facilities enable Airbus to triple its monthly paint production, according to Birmingham-based HPM, the program manager for the project. Construction has also been completed on A320 hangar bays and new employee parking lots.
Completion of these projects supports Airbus’ global commercial aircraft objective to reach a production rate of 75 A320 Family aircraft per month in 2027.
“Our operations in Alabama play a significant role in the expansion of Airbus’ global industrial capacity,” said Daryl Taylor, senior vice president of Commercial Aircraft Operations for Airbus in the U.S. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact that this growth will have on our region for many years to come.”
In addition to the A320 FAL, structures now under construction include an A320 gauging hangar and an A220 quad bay hangar, along with an extension of the Delivery Center. Construction of additional support structures will extend beyond 2025, according to HPM.
“Bright days are ahead for Airbus as they look forward to completing the FAL 320 program, which will double the size of the Airbus footprint in North America and catapult the industry to new heights,” said HPM President Ryan Austin.
Since beginning operations in 2015, Airbus’ Mobile facility has delivered over 400 A320 and A220 passenger jets.
Growing Ready Sites In Alabama
With $30M approved under the SEEDS Act, industry-ready sites across the state are under development.
The Alabama plant has given Airbus a strategic foothold in the large North American market at a time when many carriers are replacing aging aircraft with newer, more fuel-efficient models.
“Airbus’ ever-expanding footprint in Mobile has become the core of a rapidly growing aerospace cluster throughout the Gulf Coast,” said Angela Till, Deputy Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This continued growth is a big vote of confidence in the quality and caliber of its Alabama workforce.
“Mobile remains on track to become one of the largest aerospace manufacturing hubs in the world, and I look forward to seeing Airbus reach future milestones at its Alabama home,” Till added.