For Immediate Release...
October 2, 2009
GLOBAL TRANSPARK WINS BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AWARD
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The North Carolina Global TransPark (GTP) and its various business recruitment partners have been recognized by a noted business magazine for efforts in attracting Spirit AeroSystems to the GTP.
Southern Business & Development (SB&D) magazine recognized the N.C. Global TransPark Authority, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Golden LEAF Foundation, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the North Carolina Community College System, NC State University, Lenoir County, and the City of Kinston with its 2009 Excellence in Manufacturing Recruitment Award.
Spirit AeroSystems, headquartered in Wichita, Kan., is the world's largest independent supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components. It is now building a 500,000 square foot manufacturing facility at the GTP following its September, 2008, groundbreaking.
The new Spirit plant will design and manufacture the center fuselage frame section for the Airbus A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) commercial aircraft.
Spirit won a contract in the spring of 2008 to design and produce the A350's composite fuselage section, which will be approximately 65 feet long, 20 feet wide and weigh nearly 9,000 pounds. This part will be manufactured in Kinston beginning in 2010, along with front spars for the A350's wings. Spirit's plans, first announced in May 2008, call for investment of more than $570.5 million and the creation of 1,031 jobs over a six-year period, beginning in 2010.
“Cooperation among the many agencies and organizations involved in the project was a key component to the successful recruitment of Spirit,” said Darlene Waddell, executive director of the Global TransPark. “This would not have been possible without the contributions of our partners.”
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