Aviation News
CESSNA EXPANDS ITS INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS, FACILITY
Independence, Kansas, December 21, 2004 – Cessna senior leadership and prominent Kansas government officials broke ground today for Cessna's new $20.4 million expansion to its Independence, Kansas, facility. The expansion will include the construction of two new stand-alone buildings: a 90,000 square foot flight/delivery building and an 11,000 square foot aircraft completions building. In addition, Cessna will expand its current customer delivery center by 11,000 square feet. The construction will be completed in December 2005. These new facilities will support the production and delivery of Cessna's single engine piston aircraft product line and Cessna's new entry-level business jet, the Citation Mustang.
"What a great day!" said Cessna's President and CEO Jack J. Pelton. "There are so many people to thank for making this day possible, but the real congratulations go to the local Cessna employees and the people of Montgomery County who made this day possible. When we began looking at where we should build the Mustang, Independence was always at the top of the list because of employees' dedication to Cessna, commitment to lean manufacturing, and customer-focused attitudes. After serious deliberations, we announced we would manufacture the new Citation Mustang here. We are very pleased with our decision, and know that you will continue to delight customers as you deliver the world's best entry level business jet and single engine airplanes."
Those participating in today's 11:30 a.m. ceremony included: Montgomery County Economic Development Authority Representative Jim Kelly; Independence Mayor Phillip Chappuie; Montgomery County Commissioner Rudy Taylor; Kansas Senator Derek Schmidt; Cessna's General Manager and Director of Independence and Columbus operations Terry Clark; and Cessna's President and CEO Jack J. Pelton.
The groundbreaking occurred on the ten-year anniversary of when Cessna named Independence, Kansas, as its new single engine piston aircraft manufacturing location. This is the first expansion Cessna has made to its Independence, Kansas, facility since it was dedicated on July 3, 1996.
Cessna broke ground for its original 400,000 square foot Independence facility on May 19, 1995, and dedicated the facility on July 3, 1996. Production line flow of the first Cessna piston engine singles since 1986 commenced on July 10, 1996, and the first customer delivery, a 172R, took place in January 1997. In 2004, Cessna celebrated the delivery of the 5,000th single engine piston aircraft since restarting production, and the delivery of its 150,000th single engine since the company was founded in 1927. Today, Cessna produces six single engine piston aircraft at its Independence facility: 172R Skyhawk, 172S Skyhawk SP, 182T Skylane, Turbo T182T Skylane, 206H Stationair, and T206H Stationair.
On February 16, 2004, Cessna announced it would build its new Citation Mustang at its Independence, Kansas, facility. With approximately 230 orders already taken, Cessna anticipates Citation Mustang deliveries will be higher than any other Citation model. Cessna is in the midst of Citation Mustang development and anticipates first flight in 2005, and certification and first delivery in 2006. Currently, 27 team members from Cessna's Independence facility have temporarily relocated to Cessna's Wichita facility to assist with the manufacturing of the Citation Mustang prototype. A second wave of Cessna Independence based team members will temporarily relocate to Wichita in January 2005. Cessna plans to begin installing Citation Mustang tooling in Independence in March 2005, and will begin building the Citation Mustang in Independence in the third quarter of 2005.
Cessna expects to increase its Independence workforce by approximately 500 over the next several years in order to support single engine piston aircraft and Citation Mustang production and delivery. Cessna currently employs approximately 625 people in Independence. The majority of these employees reside in southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma.
Since opening in 1996, Cessna has assisted in stimulating the local economy through employees' salaries and benefits, and by bringing customers to the area. Cumulatively, Cessna has paid employees over $171 million in salaries and $1.2 million in tuition aid since 1996. Cessna has delivered over 5,400 aircraft from this facility to customers from 53 different countries. In the future, Cessna anticipates it will deliver 600-1,000 aircraft from this facility every year.
The Cessna Independence facility sits on a 213-acre site. Current structures on the property include separate assembly, paint and delivery facilities that total nearly 400,000 square feet.
Independence, Kansas, is located approximately 125 miles southeast of Wichita in Montgomery County. The Cessna facility is located approximately 5 miles southwest of the town. Independence, Kansas, is home to approximately 10,000 people.
Cessna Aircraft Company is a subsidiary of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT). Textron is a $10 billion multi-industry company with more than 43,000 employees in 40 countries. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others. More information is available at www.textron.com. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.
For additional information or questions about the general aviation industry, contact the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at 202-393-1500 or www.GAMA.aero.
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