Airbus has completed the acquisition of selected Spirit AeroSystems industrial assets dedicated to commercial aircraft programmes, creating a new Airbus Belfast at the former Short’s aviation site in Belfast.
The acquisition means Airbus will have over 4,000 new employees. The former Spirit sites joined Airbus under new names including Airbus Belfast for A220 wings and mid-fuselage production.
Airbus received compensation of €404m after typical purchase price adjustments. Production of A220 pylons will be transferred from Wichita to Saint-Eloi in Toulouse.
Airbus has taken ownership of the following former Spirit AeroSystems assets:
- the site of Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. (A350 fuselage sections), joining as Airbus Aerosystems Kinston;
- the site of Saint-Nazaire, France (A350 fuselage sections), joining as Airbus Atlantic Cadréan;
- the site of Casablanca, Morocco (A321 and A220 components), joining as Airbus Atlantic Maroc Aero;
- the production of A220 wings and A220 mid-fuselage in Belfast, becoming Airbus Belfast;
- the production of wing components for A320 and A350 in Prestwick, Scotland, becoming an affiliate named Prestwick Aerosystems;
- the production of A220 pylons, which will be transferred out of Wichita, Kansas, U.S. to the site of Saint-Eloi, Toulouse, France.
Florent Massou shared “This milestone marks a special moment for all of us at Airbus. We are proud to welcome over 4,000 new colleagues, with whom we will embark on a new chapter in our industrial operations by taking on activities of critical importance to our commercial aircraft programmes.”
