Prime Minister Formally Opens Bombardier’s New Wing Facility in Belfast
- Bombardier Aerospace to create 250 new jobs in Belfast across several aircraft programmes
- New Belfast facility, which produces innovative wings for Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft, awarded prestigious LEED® green building certification
October 11, 2013 /3BL Media/ - The UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, today officially opened Bombardier’s new wing manufacturing and assembly facility in Belfast.
Following the addition of close to 1,000 employees to its Northern Ireland workforce over the last two years, Bombardier announced today that it will create at least 250 more employment opportunities over the next 12 months, to cater for its expanding aircraft programmes and component repair business. By the end of 2014, this will bring the projected workforce to approximately 6,250.
Bombardier’s new 600,000-square-foot facility is producing the wings for the CSeries aircraft, which had its successful maiden flight last month. The wings are made using an innovative carbon-fibre composite technology developed by Bombardier engineers in Northern Ireland. This technology enables both material and aircraft weight savings, which contribute to reduced manufacturing cycle times and reduced fuel burn.
Bombardier also announced today that the new wing facility has been certified to Gold level in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is the foremost international program for buildings designed, constructed, and operated for improved environmental and health performance. The facility’s sustainable initiatives include building material selection, the extensive use of natural light, energy efficiency, water saving, and indoor environmental quality.
“The CSeries is setting new standards in the commercial aircraft marketplace with its unmatched environmental scorecard, and our employees’ expertise and dedication are playing a key role in the success of the program. The prestigious LEED certification of our new Belfast facility also demonstrates that not only are we on the right track with our innovative and environmentally conscious products, we are also delivering on our commitments as a responsible corporate citizen,” said Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc.
“We believe that our advanced composites process enables a step-change in the way aircraft wings are made. The benefits of weight reduction compared to conventional metal wings, and reduced inspection and maintenance activities, are making an important contribution to the CSeries aircraft’s success. Bombardier’s major investment in the CSeries aircraft programme continues to bring significant benefits to the 200 companies in our UK supply chain as well as to the Northern Ireland and wider UK economies,” said Michael Ryan, Vice-President and General Manager, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast.
About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world’s only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.
Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, we posted revenues of $16.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Notes to Editors
- Photo 1: Bombardier’s New Wing Facility in Belfast
- Photo 2: Pictured surrounded by major composite wing structures during a visit to Bombardier’s wing facility, are Prime Minister David Cameron, manufacturing engineer Andrew Letson and operator Matt Neish. These wing skins and spars are used to form the base structure of the CSeries wing.
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- Images of the event will be available later today on cseries.com
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Bombardier, CSeries and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
For Information
Maria Ryan
Bombardier Aerospace
+44 (0)28 9073 3515
maria.ryan@aero.bombardier.com
