Airbus chooses MAAS Aviation for aircraft paint operation at Mobile assembly line

Airbus has awarded MAAS Aviation the contract for the Paint Shop operation for the A320 Family Assembly Line in Mobile, Alabama. MAAS will be responsible for painting aircraft prior to their delivery to Airbus' customers.

MAAS' paint hangar will be located on the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley within the Airbus Assembly Line campus. Construction of the $13 million facility is scheduled to begin second quarter 2014 and will be complete by mid-2015. Jesco, Inc. will lead the construction of the paint hangar. The new facility in Mobile is expected to employ 34 people. MAAS also has options for expansion as Airbus' production increases over the years.

“We've reached yet another major milestone in establishing the A320 assembly line in Mobile,” said Allan McArtor, Chairman-Airbus Americas. “Throughout a very tough competition, MAAS showed that it would build a world-class, state-of-the-art paint facility which will provide our customers with beautiful aircraft for their passengers. We look forward to working together for many years to come.”

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, MAAS has a history with Airbus - the company is responsible for some of the paint activities for the airplane manufacturer's assembly lines in Germany.

“We are delighted that Airbus has given us this vote of confidence,” said Darragh Hall, Managing Director of MAAS. “Our relationship with Airbus is going from strength to strength and the U.S. project provides further opportunity to reinforce this further. This is a big opportunity for our company and the green field nature of this project holds great appeal. We are also very excited to become a part of the Mobile community and to be one of the many leading companies building the aviation hub here.”

On July 2, 2012, Airbus announced it would establish a manufacturing facility in the United States to assemble and deliver A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 8, 2013, and construction is underway. Located at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, it will be the company's first U.S.-based production facility. The assembly line, which will create jobs and strengthen the aerospace industry, is part of its strategy to enhance Airbus' global competitiveness by meeting the growing needs of its customers in the United States and elsewhere.

Aircraft assembly is planned to start in 2015, with first deliveries from the Mobile facility beginning in 2016. Airbus anticipates the facility will produce between 40 and 50 aircraft per year by 2018.