Roll’n on the River

Gulfstream Aerospace, the Savannah, Georgia-headquartered maker of eminently covetable, world-class business jets, announced that its completions and outfitting operations at southwestern Illinois’s St. Louis Downtown Airport (CPS) were to be further expanded.

The announcement heralds broadening of the accession formerly announced in spring 2022 at Gulfstream’s St. Louis Service Center in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, and was made possible by dint of the State of Illinois Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credit program. The agreement stipulates a goal of making a significant capital investment, retaining nearly five-hundred extant jobs, and creating two-hundred new ones.

By dint of this latest expansion, Gulfstream will increase completions operations at the site while modernizing its existing facilities by way of adding new, state-of-the-art equipment and tooling representing a total capital investment of $28.5-million. All told, the operation will feature greater capacity for exterior aircraft painting, furniture installations, and avionics integrations—thereby facilitating full aircraft completion and customer deliveries directly from the St. Louis installation. In accordance with Gulfstream’s sustainability strategy, the enhanced facility will include environmentally sound lighting, water, and HVAC systems.

Gulfstream president Mark Burns stated: “As we continue to experience extraordinary demand, we are implementing strategic investments in our people and places. St. Louis has a deep aviation history, and we are proud to build on that history while enhancing support for our customers. We look forward to offering these expanded capabilities to Gulfstream customers from around the world, so they can experience firsthand the region’s talented workforce and artisans.”

In addition to occasioning career opportunities for skilled avionics, interior installations, structures, and testing workers, the expansion of Gulfstream’s St. Louis facility will create new positions in procurement, parts management, customer service, and engineering.

To better maintain and build upon the southern-Illinois/east-central-Missouri region talent pipeline, Gulfstream is partnering with local educational institutions, including East St. Louis Senior High School, The Center for Academic & Vocational Excellence in Belleville, Illinois, and Cahokia High School.

Mr. Burn added: “We value our partnerships with the state of Illinois, St. Clair County, Bi-State Development, the City of Cahokia Heights and the Village of Sauget. These relationships have helped expand our business in Greater St. Louis and cultivate workforce development opportunities that allow us to prepare Gulfstream customers and the community for future success.”

Once complete, the expanded facility will increase Gulfstream’s overall St. Louis footprint to a princely 642,657-square feet. Gulfstream aircraft completions and customer deliveries are conducted, also, at the company’s facilities in Savannah, Georgia; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Dallas, Texas. Gulfstream Customer Support will continue to serve customers at the St. Louis Service Center in Cahokia Heights.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com