GKN Aerospace announced the company’s intention to establish a new aerospace components assembly facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina, USA. The new GKN Aerospace facility will perform assembly operations for the recently-awarded production contract for the HondaJet, (announced 11/14/11) the development work for which is currently performed at the company’s Alabama facility. This work will involve assembly of the state of the art all-composite fuselage for Honda’s new HondaJet light business jet – work which is scheduled to begin at the Orangeburg site in mid-2012.
Design and equipping of the new 150,000 sq ft plant will begin shortly and is scheduled to be operational by the 2nd half of 2012. Recruitment of the first new staff will begin in spring, 2012. GKN Aerospace expects over 75 personnel to be working in the new facility within the first year of production, with employment rising to approximately 300 within the next 5 years. The company aims to recruit the majority of these personnel from the local region.
