Belfast’s Spirit AeroSystems has revived plans to extend its main base here to increase the production of wings for Airbus passenger jets.
The firm’s factory in east Belfast is to be sold to Airbus, as US company Spirit is being taken over by Boeing.
Back in 2019, Spirit AeroSystems – which was owned by Bombardier – submitted plans for a major extension to its wing production site, which makes the structures for Airbus’s A220 passenger planes.
However, it now says that scheme is being revived. The plans will support “temporary employment opportunities, supporting both direct construction jobs and the wider local supply chain”.
And it says in the longer-term the expansion will “facilitate job retention and upskilling of the workforce, ensuring that the highly skilled aerospace sector remains a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing industry”.
Since it was granted the green light in 2020, documents say significant external factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, impacted the “aerospace industry, leading to delays and adjustments in manufacturing targets”.
However, it says “Spirit AeroSystems acquired the site in 2022 and has since driven its recovery and expansion aligning operations with Airbus’ commitment to increased production of A220 aircraft wings”.
The amended plans include a two-phase scheme, which it says “reflects the operational requirements arising from Airbus’ revised production targets”.
“The sub-phasing of phase 1 into 1a and 1b is a direct response to revised manufacturing targets, operational requirements, and the need for a flexible approach to facility expansion,” document supporting the scheme say.
“Airbus plans to increase production to approximately 160 wing sets per year, requiring adjustments to the facility’s construction timeline.
“By subdividing phase 1, the project can deliver essential upgrades in phase 1a and thereby ensure immediate operational benefits. This approach provides greater operational flexibility and allows construction to align with current manufacturing demand.”
While the factory making wings for Airbus’s A220 planes is a big part of the NI business, there are other parts doing manufacturing for Bombardier and Rolls-Royce.
According to reports, European aerospace giant Airbus may have to take on the whole of Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast beyond the part which relates to its own business.
A source quoted by financial news website Equity Report said while in the longer-term, Airbus is only interested in work being done at Spirit AeroSystems on Airbus programmes, it could agree to take on other elements of the work in the shorter-term.
A spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast recently said: “We are still evaluating options for our other Belfast operations.”