Hawker Beechcraft Opens $20 Million Facility in Mexico

Hawker Beechcraft has announced the opening of a $20 million facility in Chihuahua City, Mexico, which will mainly be used to increase sheet-metal fabrication for King Airs and Hawkers. The 180,000-square-foot building is one of two at the Chihuahua site, and a third will be added later this year. By year-end, the Chihuahua footprint will total some 500,000 square feet, and employment will grow from 400 to 1,000 workers. Components produced at the Mexico facilities are shipped to Wichita, where they are integrated into the King Air and Hawker assembly process. While some jobs have been moved to Mexico as part of the agreement reached with the state of Kansas in December, Hawker Beechcraft has committed to Wichita for final aircraft assembly.