Vector expansion will mean 100 jobs
Published 12:04 am Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Vector Aerospace has signed an agreement with local governments for an expansion to their facility in the South Alabama Regional Airport industrial park that will more than double its current working space, add additional offices, and mean at least 100 new jobs in coming months, Mayor Earl Johnson told council members Tuesday night.
Johnson said the construction is a joint project for Andalusia, Opp, Covington County and the South Alabama Airport Authority.
“We are very excited about this,” Johnson said. “The money will be in place in two or three weeks and we’ll be kicking off with in a month.”
“This will mean at least 100 new jobs here,” Johnson said, adding that Vector’s parent corporation is very pleased with the quality of work done in its Covington County facility.
Vector moved in to its existing facility at South Alabama Regional Airport about two years ago and has already outgrown the space, he said.
Under the terms of the agreement, the city will oversee the construction of the expansion in much the way it did SaeHaeSung’s new facility in the Andalusia Industrial Park.
Vector provides helicopter maintenance and repair to military and domestic companies from its Andalusia location.
Formerly known locally as AcroHelipro, Vector was rebranded in 2008. The company operates state-of-the-art facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Johnson also announced the Airport Authority has leased both of its large twin hangars to Support Systems Andalusia Alabama, a subsidiary of SSAI, which plans to provide maintenance, repairs and overhauls for C130s at the South Alabama Regional Airport. The company expects to hire 50 employees.
The lease agreement puts the Airport Authority in a positive cash flow situation, he said, and means more local jobs.