Bombardier inaugurates Learjet 85 aircraft component manufacturing facility in Querétaro, Mexico

Bombardier Aerospace today inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art Learjet 85 aircraft component manufacturing facility at its site in the Querétaro Aerospace Park. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico, and José Calzada Rovirosa, Governor of the State of Querétaro, joined Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc., and Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace, to mark the occasion.

The construction of the 185,000 sq.ft. (17,187 sq.m.) Learjet 85 aircraft component manufacturing centre was completed in July 2010. The fabrication of development parts soon followed, and the fabrication of parts for the first aircraft is now underway. In addition, over 36,300 sq.ft. (3,370 sq.m.) of existing space at the Querétaro site has been allocated to the Learjet 85 aircraft program. This brings the total Learjet 85 aircraft footprint at the Querétaro manufacturing site to approximately 221,300 sq.ft. (20,560 sq.m.) in order to support composite fuselage manufacturing and wing assembly.

"We are honoured to inaugurate our new Learjet 85 aircraft component manufacturing facility in the company of President Calderón and Governor Calzada," said Mr. Beaudoin. "Bombardier's operations in Mexico are an important part of the company's global strategy. The professionalism and commitment that our employees in Mexico have shown have driven many of the achievements that we have accomplished since the opening of our first Mexican facility in 2006. The increasing complexity of the work being undertaken in Querétaro also affirms Bombardier's confidence in its Mexican operations."

The Querétaro facility is responsible for the fabrication of the Learjet 85 aircraft's major composite structures. During the past three months, over 150 tools, including many major lay-up tools, have been fabricated and shipped to the new Learjet 85 aircraft component manufacturing site. Equipment installation has progressed well with the completion of the clean room for lay-up activity, freezer installation to house the composite material, and installation of three ovens. The factory layout makes use of the latest lean manufacturing methodologies. Bombardier Aerospace Mexico's manufacturing responsibility for the Learjet 85 aircraft program includes fuselage lay-up and sub-system installation, wiring harness fabrication and installation, wing assembly, and horizontal and vertical stabilizer assemblies.

"Through the consistent manufacture and on-time delivery of high-quality components and assemblies to Bombardier manufacturing sites around the globe, the Querétaro site has already proven that it operates at a world-class level," said Réal Gervais, Vice President, Operations, Bombardier Aerospace Mexico. "We now continue towards our goal of becoming a centre of excellence for composite manufacturing."

"We are on target with all of our program objectives, and production of the first composite parts for the Learjet 85 aircraft at our Mexico facility is underway," said Ralph Acs, Vice President, Learjet 85, Bombardier Business Aircraft.