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22/03/2002
B/E Aerospace invests £17m at Kilkeel facility
US manufacturing firm B/E Aerospace Inc, is to invest £17 million in its Kilkeel plant in a move that will create 64 new jobs and safeguard the future of 298 workers currently employed at the facility.
B/E Aerospace is the leading manufacturer of cabin interior products for virtually all the world’s airlines, aircraft manufacturers and business jet owners. The investment will see the company develop its Kilkeel plant as the group’s only production unit for its complete range of aircraft seats.
Details of the investment were revealed on Friday 22 March by Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey, and Michael Baughan, B/E Aerospace’s Group Vice President and General Manager, at a news conference in the Kilkeel plant.
Sir Reg said: “This is a further significant boost for one of our key provincial towns from a major international group and will bring job opportunities in an export focused company with a strong and successful commitment to innovation.
“It is, furthermore, a massive endorsement of Northern Ireland as an international industrial location by one of the most respected groups in the aerospace business.
Mr Baughan, commenting on the investment, said the group had chosen to focus its seat manufacturing operation at Kilkeel as part of a major cost reduction programme following the serious difficulties experienced by the international airline industry after the events of 11 September.
He said: “As a result of its consolidation programme – announced in October 2001 – and the strengthening economic recovery in the US and other markets, B/E Aerospace now expects to see significant growth later this year.
“Our decision to develop Kilkeel as our seat manufacturing centre was influenced by the lower operating costs here, the plant’s strong relationships with many of the world’s leading airlines and the ‘can do, will do’ attitude of its managers and employees.
“We’ve been impressed by the pride which employees here at Kilkeel have in their work, their attention to detail, their adaptability and the overall flexibility which is a feature of this plant’s performance. This investment will enable Kilkeel to play a pivotal role in helping the group grow its business within the global airline industry,” he added. (CL)
B/E Aerospace is the leading manufacturer of cabin interior products for virtually all the world’s airlines, aircraft manufacturers and business jet owners. The investment will see the company develop its Kilkeel plant as the group’s only production unit for its complete range of aircraft seats.
Details of the investment were revealed on Friday 22 March by Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey, and Michael Baughan, B/E Aerospace’s Group Vice President and General Manager, at a news conference in the Kilkeel plant.
Sir Reg said: “This is a further significant boost for one of our key provincial towns from a major international group and will bring job opportunities in an export focused company with a strong and successful commitment to innovation.
“It is, furthermore, a massive endorsement of Northern Ireland as an international industrial location by one of the most respected groups in the aerospace business.
Mr Baughan, commenting on the investment, said the group had chosen to focus its seat manufacturing operation at Kilkeel as part of a major cost reduction programme following the serious difficulties experienced by the international airline industry after the events of 11 September.
He said: “As a result of its consolidation programme – announced in October 2001 – and the strengthening economic recovery in the US and other markets, B/E Aerospace now expects to see significant growth later this year.
“Our decision to develop Kilkeel as our seat manufacturing centre was influenced by the lower operating costs here, the plant’s strong relationships with many of the world’s leading airlines and the ‘can do, will do’ attitude of its managers and employees.
“We’ve been impressed by the pride which employees here at Kilkeel have in their work, their attention to detail, their adaptability and the overall flexibility which is a feature of this plant’s performance. This investment will enable Kilkeel to play a pivotal role in helping the group grow its business within the global airline industry,” he added. (CL)
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