One of North America’s largest third-party transport aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul providers is opening a 607,000 square foot facility in Kansas City, Gov. Jay Nixon announced today. Aviation Technical Services’ expansion to Missouri is expected to create more than 500 new jobs over the next three to five years, with potential for 1,000 employees over time.
“Once again, Missouri continues to be a global leader in the aerospace and aviation industry,” Gov. Nixon said. “Following Boeing’s decision to bring up to 800 research and IT jobs to the Show-Me State, Aviation Technical Services’ announcement today is further evidence that Missouri’s highly-skilled workforce and pro-business climate make it an outstanding place for companies large and small to prosper. This significant job-creating investment makes it easy to see why Missouri’s unemployment rate has been below the national average for 51 straight months.”
Headquartered in Everett, Washington, ATS is one of the largest suppliers of airframe maintenance in the world. Since opening with five employees in 1970, ATS has grown to over 1,000 employees who work together to support a global customer base.
The company’s Kansas City facility will be its first location outside the state of Washington. Expanding to Missouri will put Aviation Technical Services in closer proximity to some of its largest customers, allowing it to improve customer service and expand its client base. Additionally, Kansas
City is home to an international airport and an established aviation department which will provide Aviation Technical Services competitive advantages and opportunities for future growth.
“This is yet another step to secure ATS’ future and ensure long-term stability for our customers, employees and company. Expanding to Kansas City in the super hangar facility allows us to meet existing customer requirements and adds to our platform from which to grow and diversify our service offerings over time. We plan to continue to grow in new locations that support this model,” said President and CEO, Matt Yerbic.
“Kansas City has a long history with the airline industry and this announcement shows that the industry’s future in Kansas City is as bright as its past,” said Kansas City Mayor Sly James. “ATS had many options for its expansion and the fact that they chose Kansas City shows that our city continues to set itself apart from its peers. I’m thrilled to welcome ATS, and these new jobs, to our community.”
According to the November jobs report issued earlier this week, last month Missouri employers added 15,000 jobs and the state’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 percent, nearly a full point below the national average of 7.0 percent. To assist Aviation Technical Services with its expansion, the Department of Economic Development and the City of Kansas City have authorized a strategic economic incentive package that the company can receive if it meets strict job creation and investment criteria. The Platte County Economic Development Council, the Kansas City Area Development Council, and the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City also participated in making this announcement possible.