BOMBARDIER looks set to given the green light to add another 333,000 sq ft to its 565,000 sq ft wing manufacturing facility next to Belfast City Airport.
The Canadian-owned aerospace firm is due to become part of the Kansas-based Spirit Aerosystems group this year. In a report sent to Belfast City Council’s planning committee ahead of its monthly meeting on Tuesday, officials have recommended approval for the major project.
Bombardier has stated that the multi-million pound expansion will not result in a significant intensification of production at the of east Belfast facility. But it said the extensions will help sustain approximately 1,000 jobs within its operation here.
Industry monitor CIS Ireland has valued the expansion project at around £24m.
Bombardier’s operation in the north includes five sites, employing around 3,600 people.
The key Belfast site is the base for the manufacture of composite wings for the Airbus A220. Last month the European air-framer increased its stake in the aircraft programme to 75 per cent, as Bombardier continued moves to extract itself from commercial aviation.
US group Spirit Aero announced a £1 billion deal to acquire Bombardier’s Northern Ireland operation at the end of October.
The Kansas company, which is a key supplier to Boeing, last week reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit, as it took a loss related to the 787 Dreamliner programme. Spirit’s sales have also been hit by the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX planes.
