The Oklahoman

Tulsa’s Spirit AeroSystem­s to add about 250 new jobs

- BY DALE DENWALT Staff Writer ddenwalt@oklahoman.com

Spirit AeroSystem­s will expand its Oklahoma operations beginning next year to boost production of fuselages for the Boeing 737 aircraft. The company said it would spend about $80 million as part of the expansion in Tulsa, which is expected to free up space at the company's site in Wichita. Spirit AeroSystem­s will hire about 250 employees in Tulsa to support fuselage manufactur­ing and assembly work, which is part of a plan to hire 1,400 across the company in coming years. The state of Oklahoma and City of Tulsa offered incentives as part of the project, although a spokeswoma­n for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce said an incentive package has not yet been finalized. "The Spirit team in Tulsa has made great strides improving the site’s efficiency and demonstrat­ing the capability to bring in additional work," Spirit AeroSystem­s CEO Tom Gentile said. "The Tulsa site has a critical role in helping Spirit meet rising airplane production rates and pursue growth opportunit­ies." Gov. Mary Fallin praised the decision, which is one of several recent aerospace industry expansions. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, along with Valkyrie Systems Aerospace, both announced Oklahoma projects this year to manufactur­e unmanned aircraft. "Spirit AeroSystem­s’ continued investment in our people and growing presence in our state is a testament to the positive business climate that we have developed in Oklahoma and another example of how we are diversifyi­ng Oklahoma’s economy," Fallin said. In its announceme­nt, Spirit said the work expansion in Tulsa is part of a larger effort to increase efficiency in its factories. As the production rates increase, the company said its Wichita site will hire additional

workers to meet the increasing demand. Early next year, the company's 150,000-square-foot Global Digital Logistics Center will open in Wichita.

The announceme­nt comes less than a year after Spirit AeroSystem­s told the Wichita Eagle

that supply chain issues forced it to delay deliveries to Boeing.

The first phase of the Tulsa expansion will begin with infrastruc­ture setup and employee training in 2019. Fullrate production is expected to be complete by the end of 2021, and additional investment in equipment, tooling and facilities upgrades will take place through 2022, the company said.

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